Rabat – Spanish authorities in the occupied Ceuta estimate the number of migrants who remain in the city at between 3,000 and 5,000 after the mass crossing last week.
Sources from the Ceuta government told EFE that several thousand people remain in Ceuta, refusing to return to Morocco.
Reception centers are also hosting around 862 minors, while many other minors could be hiding in the city.
Morocco said the number of people who headed to Ceuta during the mass crossing is estimated at 40,000, while over 1,000 entered Melilla, rejecting higher figures circulating in some media reports.
The Moroccan Ministry of Interior said it had recorded 11 deaths, emphasizing that it is in constant contact with Spanish authorities to verify the number of people reported dead during the mass crossings.
Estimates from Spanish authorities suggest that 88 bodies have been recovered.
Spanish reports also say that “80,000 people may have entered, taking into account the number of people who have returned,” adding that more than 69,500 people have returned home.
Rachid El Khalfi, the spokesperson for Morocco’s Interior Ministry, said data collected as part of the assessment of the situation indicate that these events were “neither the result of temporary circumstances nor spontaneous developments.”
“Rather, they stemmed from the interaction of several overlapping factors, foremost among them the malicious exploitation of digital platforms, the dissemination of misleading information, the activities of human trafficking networks, and the misinterpretation of legal and administrative provisions, all of which created the false impression that entry into the European area could be achieved easily and without legal consequences,” the ministry explained.
The statement comes after the Ceuta mass crossings, which made headlines around the world. Videos and footage documented the crossings, sparking widespread concern.
Morocco also emphasized its commitment to strengthening cooperation and recalled its status as a reliable partner recognized internationally for combating irregular migration and human trafficking.
“At the same time, Morocco will spare no effort in taking all necessary measures to protect public order, safeguard border security, and ensure the safety of people and property, within the framework of the rule of law and in full respect of the Kingdom’s national and international obligations,” the spokesperson maintained.
Occupied Ceuta and Melilla
Spanish officials, particularly from the far right, have also exploited the situation to fuel their anti-Morocco and anti-migration rhetoric.
Some officials from the Spanish Socialist Workers’ Party (PSOE) have adopted a more assertive tone, including Defense Minister Margarita Robles, who called on Morocco to investigate the Ceuta crossing “to the end.”
She said that “Ceuta and Melilla are not to be touched,” urging an investigation to determine who was behind the mobilization on social media.
The defense minister also insisted that “everyone must be very clear that Spanish territorial integrity and sovereignty are not up for debate.”
The minister’s claims concern Ceuta and Melilla, two North African cities at the center of a longstanding territorial dispute, with many Moroccans calling on the government to reopen dialogue over their status. Her remarks also come despite Morocco’s ongoing cooperation efforts, which have been hailed by several high-level officials, including Pedro Sanchez.
The remarks fueled further comments adopting an assertive tone toward Morocco, despite the country’s continued efforts to strengthen its mobilization against dangerous human trafficking and drug trafficking networks.
Morocco also boasts strong cooperation with European partners despite receiving insufficient and limited funding from the European Union.
The North African country has consistently emphasized that while it is strengthening cooperation and assuming greater responsibility, it should not be regarded as the European Union’s policeman.
This is not the first time Morocco has faced such criticism. In 2021, the country came under similar pressure following mass crossings into the Spanish enclaves, particularly amid a diplomatic crisis with Spain.
At the time, in response to the criticism, Morocco’s Foreign Affairs Minister Nasser Bourita pointed to the importance of “shared responsibility” in tackling irregular migration and its impact on Europe.
In his statement to LCI in 2021, Bourita said Morocco is not the “gendarme of Europe, nor its concierge,” emphasizing that Morocco has no obligation to protect the borders of countries other than its own.
In response to the recent criticism, the Spanish government has backed Morocco and emphasized that the country cooperated from the very beginning of the recent crossings.
Spanish Foreign Affairs Minister José Manuel Albares commended Morocco’s cooperation, which Rabat demonstrated from the outset of the unprecedented Ceuta mass crossing that peaked on July 30.
In an interview with Spanish public broadcaster RTVE, Albares said that from the “very beginning,” Morocco offered its cooperation to stop the flow and ensure migrants returned immediately.
“The vast majority of those who entered have already returned to Morocco, and Morocco continues to cooperate so that every last person who entered returns,” Albares added.
European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen also commended the “efficient and effective” handling of the recent migration crisis by Spanish and Moroccan authorities.
“I want to commend the swift handling of the returns of people who entered Ceuta illegally from Morocco. Both the Spanish and Moroccan authorities have managed the situation efficiently and effectively, successfully preventing illegal transfers to mainland Spain and Europe,” she said.
