Madrid, MINA – Nearly 69,500 migrants have returned to Morocco from Spain’s North African enclave of Ceuta over the past 30 hours following last week’s mass crossings, police sources told Spanish news agency EFE.
The figure may include migrants who entered the autonomous city before Thursday’s mass crossing, as well as others who may have crossed into Ceuta and returned to Morocco more than once. The mass influx had overwhelmed local authorities and prompted an urgent response from both Spanish and Moroccan governments.
Spanish authorities on Saturday began installing containment barriers at the Tarajal border breakwater. According to the Interior Ministry, the system includes a 500-meter (1,640-foot) air-powered barrier rising between 30 and 70 centimeters (12 and 28 inches) above the water, with a submerged section extending up to one meter (3.3 feet) deep. The barrier is combined with anchored buoys provided by the Spanish Navy, while an intermediate channel has been left open to allow Civil Guard vessels to protect the inflatable barrier.
Following Thursday’s mass crossing, many migrants returned to the border after Spain and Morocco announced plans to repatriate them. Others chose to return due to the lack of access to shops, commercial areas, and restaurants in Ceuta to meet their basic needs, leaving them with little choice but to head back.
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Meanwhile, the death toll among migrants attempting to reach Spain from Morocco has risen to 67, the Interior Ministry confirmed. Spanish authorities said on Friday that more than 49,000 people were estimated to have crossed into Ceuta by swimming or walking from the Moroccan town of Fnideq, prompting Madrid to deploy additional security forces, including the armed forces, to the enclave.
The situation remains tense as both countries continue to manage the flow of migrants while addressing the humanitarian and security challenges posed by the unprecedented crossings.[]
Mi’raj News Agency (MINA)
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