Two held over migrant camp rape

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Hundreds of migrants are camped out near Calais

French police are questioning two men in connection with the rape of a Canadian student at a migrants' camp, according to reports.

The men - an Afghan suspected people-smuggler and an Iranian - were arrested on Sunday in the northern port of Calais, says the AFP wire service.

The student - a 31-year-old Canadian based in the UK - was attacked last Tuesday while photographing the site known locally as "the Jungle".

The camp is used by migrants waiting to cross the Channel to Britain.

Police are said to be checking the men's fingerprints and DNA against those of the woman's attacker.

Officers are also studying pictures taken by the victim in the hope that she may have photographed her attacker before the rape took place.

Illegal immigrants

Local charity workers estimate that about 450 would-be migrants are living in the makeshift camp in woodland near the Calais ferry terminal, while they wait for the chance to smuggle themselves illegally into Britain.

If she did take a photo of the attacker, that will obviously be very useful. Gerard Lesigne, Boulogne-sur-Mer prosecutor

Most of them are said to be Afghans, Kurds, Iranians and Africans, and all but 30 of them are men.

Police have described the camp as a "dangerous place", especially in the hours of darkness.

The rape happened after the attacker told his victim he wanted to show her something and led her into one of the makeshift shelters.

He then raped and beat her, only stopping after another migrant approached the shack.

'Useful photographs'

Gerard Lesigne, the Boulogne-sur-Mer prosecutor, said the investigation into the rape was "dynamic and fast-moving."

He said: "If she did take a photo of the attacker, that will obviously be very useful."

"We are working very closely with the Police Judiciaire, the border police and our colleagues in the UK."

He said that the victim has now returned to the UK, where she has lived for a number of years.

Police are also studying two photofit images of the rapist which were put together using descriptions by the victim and a witness.

The two pictures, which were described as "very similar", have been sent to the French ports, the British authorities and Interpol.