Recent updates from Spain’s Interior Ministry said over 37,500 migrants who entered the Spanish enclave of Ceuta as part of an irregular mass migration have returned to Morocco in the past few days.
According to Spain’s Interior Ministry, the returnees represent around 75% of those who crossed during the mass migration crisis.
Estimates say that 60,000 people entered the enclave in one day.
The estimated death toll of people who died while attempting to cross to the enclave climbed to 57.
The death toll is not final, as tens of thousands attempted to cross into the enclave in the past few days, with peaks recorded over the weekend and between Wednesday and Friday.
Morocco and Spain are intensifying efforts to tackle the situation, with Madrid emphasizing that it reached an agreement with Rabat on the return of migrants who entered the enclave.
Spain also thanked Morocco for its cooperation, condemning what happened in Ceuta as a violation of its “territory.”
The situation in Ceuta created division in Europe, with some countries backing Spain’s efforts and others threatening to suspend Madrid from the Schengen area.
The European Commissioner for Home Affairs and Migration, Austrian Magnus Brunner, denied today that people are moving from Ceuta to the European continent.
Brunner described the situation in the enclave as “unacceptable,” stating that close contact remains with the Spanish authorities.
“I reiterate that there are no movements taking place towards the European continent or towards other Member States,” Brunner added.
The EU official also emphasized the importance of cooperation between Spain and Morocco, welcoming their efforts to manage the situation.
