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Workers begin disassembly of 'Jungle' refugee camp in France

By Doug G. Ware
Vegetables and flowers planted by migrants grow between the tents in the illegal makeshift camp known as the jungle of Calais in northern France on Sept. 10. The government ordered the dismantling of the camp, which began on Tuesday. Photo by Maya Vidon-White/UPI
Vegetables and flowers planted by migrants grow between the tents in the illegal makeshift camp known as the jungle of Calais in northern France on Sept. 10. The government ordered the dismantling of the camp, which began on Tuesday. Photo by Maya Vidon-White/UPI | License Photo

CALAIS, France, Oct. 25 (UPI) -- Demolition workers on Tuesday began the physical disassembly of a troubled refugee camp in north France known as the "jungle."

The camp, located in Calais, no longer has dozens of tents and other elements to support thousands of refugees.

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Officials said more than 4,000 migrants living in the camp have now left -- but to where, most don't know. About 7,000 had lived at the camp before Monday.

The camp was home to the refugees for about 18 months after they fled their homelands in the Middle East , like Syria and Iraq, to escape ongoing fighting.

RELATED Photos: Life inside Calais' illegal migrant camp known as 'The Jungle'

Workers in hard hats and orange jumpsuits used sledgehammers and other tools to pull down the camp.

Some of the refugees were escorted from the area by coaches arranged by the French government.

The Calais camp came to symbolize the European migrant crisis, which has endured for more than a year.

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