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THE ALPINE ROUTE
The route was characterized by a strong presence of migrants arriving from the Balkans, from Iran and Afghanistan, many of whom were families. Their choice is to cross the Alps to reach northern Europe, given that Italy and France are perceived as unsafe and unwelcoming countries. The daily flow varies from a few units to sixty and about 15,000 people have transited illegally since 2018 along the Oulx - Briancon axis.
I’ve documented the rescue voluntary work of the Italian Red Cross, that every night, pulls several groups of people out of the forest where they get lost.
Every night the French gendarmerie pushes many of them back to Italy, but their motivation is too strong to stop and their spirit of survival prevails. Not even the risk of frostbite discourage families and the march, looking for a dignified and safe life, goes on.
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