- Thousands of migrants have surged from Morocco into the Spanish enclave of Ceuta, leading to a chaotic border-crossing situation.
- Border-crossing chaos has resulted in many migrants being left in limbo, with hundreds still sleeping in public spaces as leaving Ceuta for mainland Spain appears virtually impossible.
- Moroccan police were seen shouting, “Go, go, go! Run now, run into Spain,” allowing only Moroccans to cross while pushing back sub-Saharan migrants.
- Madrid has attributed the influx of migrants to “human-trafficking mafias” and a recent supreme court ruling that affects migrant returns.
- Ceuta locals have been providing aid to migrants, offering water, sandwiches, and blankets, although this solidarity is threatened by the presence of far-right politicians and a neo-Nazi group.
- Since being deported to Morocco in 2019, El Abbas has lived apart from his family, expressing that in Morocco, “I was alive, but I wasn’t really living.”
- A teenager who crossed into Ceuta was taken to a centre for unaccompanied minors but ended up back on the streets due to a lack of available places.
- Three days after arriving in Ceuta, El Abbas and others were surrounded by a military patrol and beaten, stating, “The same hand that helped me out of the water was the one that later hit me.”
Thousands of migrants have crossed from Morocco into the Spanish enclave of Ceuta, leading to a humanitarian crisis as many remain stranded on the streets.156
Although over 48,000 people returned to Morocco, hundreds are still sleeping in parks and public squares, waiting for a chance to move on or find shelter.
A migrant recounted, “The Moroccan police were shouting at us: ‘Go, go, go! Run now, run into Spain,’” highlighting the chaotic conditions at the border.23
The situation is complicated by human-trafficking mafias exploiting a recent ruling by Spain’s supreme court, which prevents the summary return of intercepted migrants.4
Many migrants, particularly Moroccans, have faced violence and discrimination, with reports indicating that “all the sub-Saharan migrants were being pushed back by force.” Tragically, at least 72 people have drowned or been crushed in attempts to reach Ceuta.
Local residents have stepped in to help, providing food and water, but the arrival of far-right politicians threatens to exploit the crisis for political gain.
Morocco’s ambassador to Spain expressed discontent over the mass crossing, stating that Rabat hopes those in Ceuta will return.
The plight of migrants continues to unfold as they navigate the complexities of border policies and humanitarian needs.
“More than 48,000 people had crossed back into Morocco by Friday night, yet hundreds still sleep in parks and squares, with leaving for mainland Spain virtually impossible. Madrid attributes the influx to human-trafficking mafias that exploited a supreme court ruling, while Morocco's ambassador says Rabat hopes the new arrivals will return.”
theguardian.com
