Casablanca – The Moroccan Organization of Human Rights (OMDH) released a report covering the events of July 30 and 31 and a new crossing attempt toward Ceuta on August 15. The group said it formed a special committee to monitor the situation, collect information and contact relevant authorities.
The report says estimates for the number of people involved in the late-July crossings ranged from nearly 70,000 according to Spanish authorities to around 40,000 according to Morocco’s Interior Ministry.
The OMDH linked the movement to widely shared videos, accounts encouraging crossings and what it described as false information about the possibility of legalizing entry into Spain by sea. It also cited economic, social, psychological and cultural factors.
More than 3,000 foreign nationals from countries including Sudan, Yemen, Algeria, Tunisia, Palestine, Afghanistan, Bangladesh and countries in sub-Saharan Africa and the Sahel were also reported to have taken part.
Read also: Moroccan Rights Group OMDH Warns of ‘Serious Violations’ in Ceuta
The report records a major discrepancy in the death toll, with Spanish authorities cited as reporting around 100 drowning deaths and Moroccan authorities around 14.
It also refers to missing people and unidentified victims. Violence during the crossings left migrants and security personnel injured, while around 100 people were arrested.
In Melilla, 50 people faced legal proceedings after violence at the Beni Enzar border crossing, with 43 detained. The Nador Court of First Instance later sentenced 24 young men and two young women to four months in prison and a MAD 500 ($53,97) fine. The women’s prison sentences were replaced with community service.
The OMDH also raised concerns about trials taking place without defense lawyers because lawyers had suspended professional services.
Humanitarian conditions worsen
In Ceuta, the group reported shortages of food, water and shelter, with some migrants sleeping in streets, crowded spaces and makeshift beach camps. A local initiative was providing around 1,000 meals a day. Another facility in Sidi Mbarek housed around 300 women, girls and children, but its operator said on August 13 that it could no longer continue after local authorities refused to provide food, mattresses and blankets.
The OMDH also cited five officially announced sexual assault cases, later reported locally as 12, while testimony referred to 30 possible cases that the group said had not been verified.
On August 15, authorities stopped 294 people attempting to reach Ceuta, including 248 from sub-Saharan countries and 46 Moroccans. The group also said identity checks and searches affected some travelers heading to Tetouan and Fnideq. No crossing attempt was recorded in Melilla that day.
The report also recalls the 2014 Tarajal incident, when 14 people died while attempting to enter Ceuta, and says Spain later installed 500 meters of floating barriers near the crossing.
The OMDH called for independent investigations into deaths, injuries and alleged rights violations on both sides of the border, legal assistance and translation for migrants, protection for unaccompanied minors and action against trafficking networks.
It also urged Morocco and Spain to expand cooperation and called for development programs targeting women and young people in Fnideq and Nador.
Separately, Spain said on August 19 that it was urgently working on the transfer of around 500 unaccompanied migrant girls from Ceuta to mainland Spain.
Read also: Why Morocco is Pushing Back Against Spain’s Political Exploitation of Ceuta Crisis
Morocco has played a central role in managing the consequences of the latest mass crossings toward Ceuta and Melilla, including efforts to prevent further attempts, respond to irregular migration networks, and coordinate with Spain on the return and identification of migrants.
Moroccan authorities have repeatedly stressed that migration is a shared responsibility that requires sustained cooperation between countries of origin, transit, and destination.
Rabat has also emphasized that Morocco cannot be expected to act as Europe’s “concierge.” Moroccan officials have consistently argued that the country’s role should be understood within a broader framework of shared responsibility and cooperation, rather than as a unilateral obligation to prevent migration toward Europe.
The Spanish government has, for its part, acknowledged Morocco’s cooperation in managing the migration situation and recognized the importance of bilateral coordination. This cooperation has taken place amid renewed criticism of Morocco from sections of Spain’s political far right, whose rhetoric has frequently focused on migration, Ceuta and Melilla, and Spain’s relationship with Rabat.
Despite the political tensions surrounding the issue, cooperation between Morocco and Spain remains an important component of the response to irregular migration. The two countries have an interest in preventing loss of life, disrupting trafficking networks, and managing migration flows through coordinated measures rather than unilateral action.
