Spain Directs Migrants Back to Morocco from Ceuta Amidst Border Crisis

Spanish authorities continued to direct individuals who had crossed from Morocco into the enclave of Ceuta back across the border on Friday evening. A journalist for Helsingin Sanomat, Mika Heikkilä, reported from Ceuta that soldiers formed human corridors on the streets, guiding people towards the border crossing.

A steady flow of individuals proceeded towards the border well after 10 p.m. local time, with some moving in groups. While most appeared to comply with the authorities' directions, officials occasionally urged them along more firmly. The Spanish Interior Ministry had previously estimated that approximately 50,000 people arrived in Ceuta from Morocco within a 24-hour period. By Friday evening, Spanish officials estimated that 48,300 had returned to Morocco, with the Foreign Minister stating that "practically all" arrivals were back on the Moroccan side.

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People are being directed all the time. Sometimes people come in groups.

Despite official claims, Heikkilä observed that some individuals from Morocco remained in the Ceuta area. He noted seeing some young Moroccan men hiding from authorities outside the city center. Near the port, he encountered a group of three young men, one with a severe leg injury, who appeared to have recently arrived from the sea, though an interview was not possible as they spoke neither Spanish nor English.

The presence of authorities in Ceuta is substantial, with local police, the national police, the Guardia Civil, and the army deployed due to the border crisis. The journalist described the situation as more severe than during the COVID-19 pandemic, with shops and cafes closed, and even basic necessities like water unavailable. Security forces managed to largely control a situation where hundreds attempted to force their way into a reception center, which was already housing a thousand people against its capacity of just over 500, with another thousand reportedly camped outside.

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practically all arrivals have already returned to the Moroccan side.