- Migrants have entered the Spanish enclave of Ceuta from Morocco.
- A 12-year-old boy was filmed by the Associated Press pleading with Spanish soldiers not to be returned, with the video captured on Monday (3 August).
- A Spanish army lieutenant colonel stopped the repatriation after local residents said the child was a minor.
- The boy was handed over to the Spanish Civil Guard.
A crying 12-year-old boy in Ceuta pleaded with Spanish soldiers not to be sent back to Morocco, highlighting the emotional toll of the ongoing migrant crisis. A video captured the boy's distress as he was handed over to the Spanish Civil Guard after local residents intervened.124
The situation escalated as hundreds of migrants set up a makeshift camp on a beach in the Spanish exclave, which borders Morocco. Local authorities are struggling to manage the influx, with estimates indicating that 69,500 migrants have been returned to Morocco in just four days, exceeding initial projections of around 50,000 arrivals last Thursday.
A Spanish army lieutenant colonel halted the boy's repatriation after pressure from local residents, emphasizing the complexities of handling unaccompanied minors in such crises. The boy's plea and the rapid increase in migrant numbers underscore the urgent humanitarian challenges faced by both Spain and Morocco amid this ongoing situation.3
“Associated Press footage from Monday shows the 12-year-old crying and pleading not to be returned, with residents insisting he is a minor. A Spanish army lieutenant colonel halted the repatriation, and the boy was handed over to the Spanish Civil Guard.”
The Independent
