DistantNews
Support us
Migrants return from Ceuta, citing hunger and disappointment
๐Ÿ‡ญ๐Ÿ‡ท Croatia /Crime & Justice

Migrants return from Ceuta, citing hunger and disappointment

From Veฤernji List · () Croatian

Translated from Croatian, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Named sources Outcome reported
  • Thousands of migrants who crossed into Spain's Ceuta enclave from Morocco have begun returning home, citing hunger and exhaustion.
  • Many were lured by social media videos promising easy passage but found themselves stranded and unable to proceed into mainland Spain.
  • Migrants reported facing high prices for food and water, and some accused locals of driving them out, leading to a mass departure.

Thousands of migrants who recently entered Spain's North African enclave of Ceuta have started returning to Morocco, reporting that their hopes for a new life in Europe were dashed by hunger, exhaustion, and a hostile reception. Viral social media posts and messages from friends had encouraged many to attempt the crossing, either by swimming or scaling fences, into Ceuta.

We came to progress, not to be deceived. I thought I would build a better future there, but Ceuta surprised me.

โ€” BrahimA baker from Fez, explaining his motivation for migrating and his disappointment upon arrival in Ceuta.

Upon arrival, however, migrants discovered they could not easily proceed to mainland Spain. "We came to progress, not to be deceived. I thought I would build a better future there, but Ceuta surprised me," said Brahim, a baker from Fez who quit his job after seeing videos of thousands crossing. He claimed he survived for three days on only water, unable to afford food, questioning why a tuna sandwich cost 100 dirhams ($10.75).

How is it possible that a tuna sandwich was sold for 100 dirhams, or about $10.75?

โ€” BrahimQuestioning the exorbitant prices for basic necessities in Ceuta.

In the Moroccan border town of Fnideq, streets that were crowded with thousands of people on Thursday were nearly empty by Saturday. Returning migrants complained of being unable to find food and water as supermarkets and shops remained closed. Some accused residents of the El Prรญncipe neighborhood of attacking and forcing them out. Reuters could not independently verify these claims. A Moroccan waiter, Yassine Ichou, stated he was beaten and chased away, adding, "They laid siege to force us to leave Ceuta ourselves. They succeeded."

Ceuta was like a prison. There was nothing there, everything was closed.

โ€” Tanger Med port workerDescribing the conditions faced by migrants in Ceuta.

The exodus has impacted Moroccan employers, with one hotel in Fnideq reporting that all six kitchen staff members left for Ceuta and did not return, forcing management to find replacements. While cafes in Ceuta began to reopen, most shops remained closed, with police patrols visible on the streets.

They laid siege to force us to leave Ceuta ourselves. They succeeded.

โ€” Yassine IchouA Moroccan waiter describing the actions taken by locals to make migrants leave.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Veฤernji List in Croatian. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

More Stories

From Our Blog