Thousands Begin Journey Home from Morocco Border with Spain

Thousands of migrants who recently crossed into Spain's North African enclave of Ceuta from Morocco have started their journey back home, with repatriation operations ongoing. Spanish soldiers were seen escorting migrants back to Morocco on August 1, 2026, as the large-scale movement began.

Spain's Interior Ministry announced that a significant portion of the estimated 60,000 migrants who entered Ceuta over a few days have now returned. By Friday evening, the government reported that at least 48,000 individuals had been sent back to Morocco. The operation involves transporting people directly by bus or via the railway station in Tangier, located approximately 70 kilometers away.

According to a Moroccan source close to the operation, the border crossing at Fnideq and the surrounding hills are now considered "completely secure." This follows earlier clashes where hundreds of young men, primarily from the hills overlooking the crossing, threw stones at security forces. Police had responded with water cannons and tear gas, arresting dozens.

The buses are heading to various destinations, including Tangier, Tetouan, and the economic capital Casablanca, all equipped with rail facilities to help redirect migrants who had traveled from as far south as Marrakech. For some, like 32-year-old Rachid Aouchari from Ksar el Kebir, the return journey is prompted by a desire to reunite with family. "Honestly, I just want to see my children again. I regret having come all the way here," he told AFP after being turned back from Ceuta.

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I heard that buses had arrived to take us back home. Honestly, I just want to see my children again. I regret having come all the way here.