Moroccan law enforcement agencies have detained more than 60,000 individuals attempting to enter the country illegally from areas surrounding the Spanish enclave of Ceuta along the Mediterranean coast, following a major migrant crisis in late July and early August.
Sea-news.az reports citing Hespress, that these individuals have been sent back.
According to reports, this figure excludes those who managed to illegally enter Ceuta and voluntarily returned to Moroccan territory, or those repatriated through coordinated efforts between Morocco and Spain.
To recap, tens of thousands of undocumented migrants arrived in Ceuta in late July and early August. According to Morocco’s Ministry of the Interior, approximately 40,000 people attempted to cross the border toward Ceuta and 1,135 toward Melilla. Meanwhile, the Spanish government reported that roughly 72,000 migrants entered Ceuta, of whom close to 70,000 have already returned to Morocco. Estimates regarding fatalities during the migrant crisis vary: while Moroccan authorities reported 11 missing persons, non-governmental organizations stated that 141 migrants died during the events.
