Key facts
- Migrants who entered Spain's African enclave of Ceuta are returning to Morocco.
- Many cited hunger, exhaustion, and hostility from locals as reasons for their return.
- Migrants reported difficulty finding food and water and faced high prices in Ceuta.
- Some migrants accused residents of attacking them and driving them out of the enclave.
- Most shops in Ceuta remained closed following the influx.
Migrants who recently entered Spain's North African enclave of Ceuta are returning to Morocco, with many citing hunger, exhaustion, and hostility from locals as reasons for their departure. Viral social media videos and messages had initially encouraged thousands to breach the heavily guarded border.
Upon arrival in Ceuta, many migrants found themselves unable to proceed to mainland Spain and struggled to afford basic necessities, with reports of a tuna sandwich costing as much as $10.75. The enclave experienced widespread shop closures, leading to scarcity of food and water. Some returnees accused residents of El Principe, a predominantly Moroccan neighborhood in Ceuta, of attacking them and imposing a "siege" to force their departure.
Spain's Interior Ministry confirmed two minor injuries from knife attacks and one arrest. In contrast to the initial influx, streets in Fnideq, the Moroccan city opposite Ceuta, were nearly empty, with many young men heading away from the border. While some cafes in Ceuta reopened, most shops remained closed, and security forces were visible.
An aid worker noted that migrant reception centers were full, with thousands still in the enclave. Some residents expressed fear but also sympathy, viewing the migrants as exploited. Despite the challenges, some migrants remained determined to reach mainland Spain.