France will have nearly 9,000 immigration reception points.

(Baonghean.vn) - French President Francois Hollande announced on September 24 that thousands of migrants living in dilapidated tent camps known as "Jungles" near the town of Calais will be distributed throughout the country.

Refugees walk through a refugee camp known as the "Forest" on the outskirts of Calais, France. Photo: Reuters.

This is the latest effort by the French government to quell criticism of its handling of the European migration crisis.

Approximately 9,000 sites are being prepared to become "reception and orientation" centers for migrants currently living in refugee camps near the port city in northern France, President Hollande said on i-Tele television after visiting a site in Tours, 240 km southwest of Paris.

The migrants will be divided into groups of 40-50 people for a limited period of three to four months, Hollande said.

Hollande also affirmed that those who meet the criteria for refugees will be allowed to stay in France, while those who do not will be deported.

"There should be no refugee camps in France," the French president said, affirming that France's goal is to dismantle such camps completely.

The dilapidated camps that President Hollande visited last Monday have become a symbol of the migration crisis in France, at a time when immigration is considered a key issue in next year's French presidential election.

Former French President Nicolas Sarkozy also visited the town of Calais last week as he campaigned for his return to the presidential race next year.

Migrants in refugee camps frequently clash with police as they try to reach England. Some French opposition politicians argue that this is a British problem and that England should take action to address it.

According to local authorities, around 7,000 migrants are still living in makeshift shelters in the northern part of the camp. This number has increased from 4,500 in June. Meanwhile, humanitarian groups put the figure closer to 9,000.

The French authorities dismantled the southern half of the refugee camp in February and March. The government also confirmed that the camp would have to temporarily cease operations, but did not give a specific timeframe.

Khang Duy

(According to Reuters)