Spain reported an exodus of migrants from Ceuta
The Spanish Ministry of the Interior reported that 37,000 migrants have already voluntarily returned from Ceuta to Morocco. According to official estimates, about 23,000 people who arrived during the large-scale influx remain in the Spanish enclave.
The Spanish Ministry of the Interior stated that the number of migrants who left Ceuta and returned to Morocco has risen to 37,000. Earlier that same day, the Spanish Ministry of the Interior reported that 25,000 people had already crossed the border back into Morocco. This data was subsequently updated. According to Spanish authorities’ estimates, a total of about 60,000 migrants arrived in Ceuta. If these figures are confirmed, approximately 23,000 people currently remain in the enclave.
Many of those who returned to Morocco say they had hoped to find work and better living conditions in Spain. However, due to the situation that has developed in Ceuta, they decided to abandon those plans. According to the Associated Press, the migrants say the chaos, uncertainty, and difficult conditions in the enclave prompted their return. “We had hoped to find better job opportunities in Spain, but we decided to return because of the chaos in Ceuta,” the migrants told reporters.
Ceuta remains one of the main routes for illegal migration to the European Union. Following a sharp increase in the number of people crossing the border, authorities in Spain and Morocco continue to work on returning migrants and stabilizing the situation, Sky News reports.
Spain has stepped up security in the North African enclave of Ceuta following a mass border breach by migrants from Morocco. According to local authorities, thousands of people have illegally crossed the border by sea and land, causing temporary shelters to become overcrowded. Military units have been deployed to the region to stabilize the situation.
