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Nearly half of the 60,000 migrants who entered the Spanish enclave of Ceuta since the early hours of Friday have already returned to Morocco, according to Spain’s Interior Ministry, as cited by local media.
The estimate covers the period up to 1 p.m. local time on Friday, meaning the number is expected to increase as returns continue. Local media also reported that at least 34 people died while attempting to swim from Morocco to Ceuta.
The mass arrival of migrants has overwhelmed the Spanish authorities and humanitarian organisations in the autonomous city, which has a population of just under 83,000. The latest arrivals come on top of the 1,500 to 2,000 migrants who had already reached Ceuta in recent days.
In response, Spain and Morocco reached an agreement on Thursday to speed up the return of migrants who entered the enclave irregularly.
The response from Madrid
The scale of the arrivals prompted the Spanish government to deploy the army to help reinforce security in Ceuta. Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez travelled to the enclave on Friday, accompanied by Interior Minister Fernando Grande-Marlaska.
Speaking from Ceuta, Sánchez described the mass crossings as “a violation of Spain’s territorial integrity”, adding that they “deserve our strongest condemnation”.
Defence Minister Margarita Robles also urged migrants not to risk the journey. “Do not be deceived by the trafficking networks,” she said. “The outcome will be return, in accordance with Spanish law.”
Overnight, clashes broke out between Moroccan police and hundreds of people who continued trying to reach Ceuta. Migrants were still attempting to enter the Spanish enclave on Friday by swimming around the Tarajal breakwater near the main border crossing between Morocco and Ceuta.