Hundreds of Migrants Camp in Ceuta Amid Border Crisis Aftermath

Hundreds of migrants have established a makeshift camp on a beach in the Spanish exclave of Ceuta, as local authorities grapple with the aftermath of a massive border surge last week.

Spain estimates that 69,500 migrants have been returned to Morocco over the past four days, a figure that surpasses initial projections of around 50,000 arrivals in Ceuta last Thursday.

Ceuta, on the North African coast, is an autonomous Spanish city.

The official death toll stands at 72 on the Spanish side of the border, with 11 fatalities reported on the Moroccan side.

Many of those remaining cited shop closures leading to food shortages, hostility from local residents, and the inability to continue their journey to the Spanish mainland as reasons for their predicament.

Ceuta, along with Spain’s other North African exclave, Melilla, frequently experiences attempted crossings by migrants seeking to reach Europe.

Footage from the city showed scores of migrants resting on El Trampolin beach, many wrapped in towels against the wind, while army and police vehicles patrolled nearby.

Juan Jesus Vivas, Ceuta’s leader, told the broadcaster Telecinco that between 3,000 and 5,000 migrants remain in the exclave, adding that its two reception centres – one for adults and another for minors – had “collapsed”.

Local official Alberto Gaitan said that the city is currently processing 862 migrant minors, who are afforded special legal protections against deportation.

Crisis sparks diplomatic tensions within EU

The crisis has fuelled anti-immigration rhetoric throughout Europe and sparked diplomatic tensions within the European Union over border policy, and Spain has accused some partners of an unhelpful and polarising response.

Foreign minister Jose Manuel Albares said on Monday that Spain had previously supported other EU countries during migration crises and now expects the same backing.

The bloc has called an emergency video conference meeting of interior ministers to take place on Tuesday to discuss the crisis.

Mr Albares accused Italy’s government of helping to amplify misinformation.

He said that Morocco had immediately offered police support and had not attached conditions to its cooperation, allowing for the rapid return of most of those who crossed.

But Mr Vivas was critical of the Moroccan government, saying that there was a widespread perception within Ceuta that it had allowed, if not orchestrated, the crisis.

“Morocco has shown us that it isn’t reliable. There’s no alternative but to put in place whatever means are necessary to ensure it cannot do this again,” Mr Vivas told the Spanish language newspaper El Pais.

On Sunday, Morocco’s interior ministry blamed the surge on misinformation on social media, human trafficking networks, and a misinterpretation of a Spanish court ruling banning immediate returns of migrants intercepted at sea. That was in line with Spain’s official view.

Spain says Morocco allowed mass crossing

According to reports by El Pais and the Spanish radio station Cadena SER, citing officials familiar with the matter, Spanish intelligence services have concluded that Morocco did not plan the mass crossing, but allowed it to happen.

Moroccan border controls were gradually relaxed during July and were allegedly removed as crowds surged toward the Tarajal crossing during Morocco’s Throne Day holiday, the reports said.

Morocco’s interior ministry did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

In its Sunday statement, it said that Morocco is “committed to strengthening international cooperation and coordination in combating irregular migration and human trafficking”.

Spain’s interior minister, Fernando Grande-Marlaska, said on Saturday that his country’s foreign intelligence agency, the CNI, which is controlled by the defence ministry, did not warn him of an imminent surge. El Pais said that had caused tensions between the two ministries.

An interior ministry spokesperson downplayed the reported tensions.

Defence minister Margarita Robles declined to say whether the CNI had any prior intelligence of the mass crossing, adding its work was secret and praising the “exceptional” work of Spanish security services personnel.