Key facts
- Over 48,300 migrants have returned to Morocco from Ceuta.
- Approximately 50,000 migrants entered the Spanish exclave of Ceuta.
- Spain confirmed at least 72 migrant deaths during the crossings.
- Morocco reported 11 migrant deaths.
- The influx was reportedly triggered by social media messages about an open border.
- The situation in Ceuta is described as normalizing.
- Residents of Ceuta remain indignant.
- Far-right leader Santiago Abascal visited Ceuta.
- Abascal accused the Spanish government of subservience to Morocco.
The migrant situation in the Spanish exclave of Ceuta is normalizing, with authorities reporting that over 48,300 of the approximately 50,000 migrants who entered have returned to Morocco. The mass influx, which occurred following social media messages suggesting the border was open, has led to a significant number of migrant deaths. Spain confirmed at least 72 deaths during the crossings, while Morocco's interior ministry reported 11 migrant deaths. The situation has sparked diplomatic tensions within the European Union.
Residents of Ceuta remain indignant following the events. Far-right leader Santiago Abascal visited the exclave and accused the Spanish government of being subservient to Morocco in its response to the crisis. The rapid return of thousands of migrants suggests the crisis has subsided, though the underlying issues and the differing death tolls reported by Spain and Morocco remain points of concern and potential diplomatic friction.