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Spain: Nearly All Migrants Leave Ceuta for Morocco; EU Crisis Talks Planned
🇩🇪 Germany /Conflict & Security

Spain: Nearly All Migrants Leave Ceuta for Morocco; EU Crisis Talks Planned

From Die Zeit · () German

Translated from German, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News From a news agency Context piece
  • Spain's Interior Ministry reports that over 48,000 migrants who entered the Ceuta enclave have returned to Morocco.
  • Approximately 60,000 people initially reached Ceuta, with the Spanish government stating nearly all have now left.
  • The EU is planning crisis meetings, while border guards are also managing attempts to cross into the other Spanish enclave, Melilla.

Spain's government announced that nearly all of the tens of thousands of people who entered the North African enclave of Ceuta have returned to Morocco. The Interior Ministry stated that over 48,000 migrants who arrived in Ceuta since Thursday have gone back. Regional government figures indicated that around 60,000 people had reached the enclave in total, though the central government's estimate was 50,000.

Almost all who had arrived in Ceuta have now returned to Morocco.

— José Manuel AlbaresSpanish Foreign Minister, confirming the return of migrants.

Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares confirmed on X that "almost all" who arrived in Ceuta had since returned to Morocco, with hundreds still en route. The European Union is preparing for crisis meetings, with experts from member states scheduled to convene on Saturday. A meeting at ambassadorial level is planned for Monday, according to the Irish EU Council presidency.

Meanwhile, border guards are also active in Melilla, Spain's other North African enclave. Reports indicate that around 500 people attempted to cross the border from Morocco into Melilla on Friday evening, with security forces deployed. A subsequent attempt occurred two hours later, involving individuals throwing stones at officers, who responded with tear gas. It remains unclear if any migrants successfully entered Melilla. The Beni Enzar border crossing has been closed since Thursday evening.

The integrity of the Schengen Area is guaranteed.

— José Manuel AlbaresResponding to criticism about border security.

Albares defended Spain's border security, refuting criticism from other EU states and asserting the integrity of the Schengen Area. He stated that entry from Ceuta to mainland Spain requires identification and criticized what he called "interest-driven confusion" surrounding the crisis. Italy had previously announced a temporary suspension of the Schengen agreement. The Spanish government also reported that at least 57 people died attempting to reach Ceuta, with many reportedly drowning and a stampede occurring.

More than 48,000 of the migrants who entered the Spanish North African enclave of Ceuta since Thursday have returned to Morocco.

— Spanish Interior MinistryReporting on the number of returned migrants.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Die Zeit in German. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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