Morocco Warned Spain of Ceuta Migrant Crisis, Claims Diplomatic Sources

Morocco asserts it alerted Spain to the significant danger of a large-scale migrant incursion into the Spanish enclave of Ceuta days before an estimated 60,000 individuals entered the territory.

Moroccan diplomatic sources, cited by Spanish news agencies Europa Press and EFE, stated that Rabat had warned Madrid about the high probability of thousands of migrants breaching Ceuta's borders following a Spanish Supreme Court ruling. This ruling, issued on July 8, prohibited Spanish authorities from immediately expelling migrants arriving by sea to the Spanish enclaves in North Africa, namely Ceuta and Melilla.

The Moroccan Ministry of Foreign Affairs, while stressing "close cooperation with the Spanish side," voiced disappointment over the accusations from some politicians in Spain and the EU that Rabat was responsible for instigating the migration crisis in Ceuta. This stance from Moroccan diplomacy coincided with a call from Spain's Defense Minister, Margarita Robles, urging the Moroccan government to conduct a thorough investigation to "clarify the causes" of the crisis.

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blame Rabat for the migration crisis

Robles stated that responsibility for the deaths of migrants during their attempt to cross from Morocco to Ceuta on July 30 and 31 lies with "those who deceive people through mafias." Meanwhile, the Spanish newspaper "El Faro de Ceuta" reported on August 4 that an inflatable barrier, 500 meters long and partially submerged, was deployed near the enclave's shores. This barrier is intended to prevent further sea-based incursions by illegal migrants and extends an existing breakwater.

During the mass crossing on July 30 and 31, approximately 60,000 migrants entered Ceuta from Morocco, primarily by sea. The majority have since returned to Morocco. Spanish authorities estimate that at least 88 people died during the crossing, mainly from drowning.

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those who deceive people through mafias