Thousands of Migrants Return to Morocco from Ceuta

Al-Taj News – The Spanish government announced Sunday that more than 5,300 migrants who remained in the city of Ceuta after the influx it experienced in July have returned to Morocco within one month, as authorities face pressure to restore calm in the city, which is witnessing growing tensions.

Regional Policy Minister Ángel Víctor Torres, who is tasked with leading the government’s response to the crisis, said in a video posted on social media that 5,321 people had “voluntarily returned” to Morocco since August 10.

Torres added that 90 people had “withdrawn” applications they had submitted for international protection, while “around 1,000 people are being registered in order to complete the procedures for their return.”

The minister did not clarify how many migrants remain in Ceuta after the return of these people, an issue that has sparked a dispute between the left-wing government and the city’s conservative-run local authorities.

The new figures come amid criticism of the government over the slow pace of returning migrants from Ceuta, the Spanish enclave in North Africa, which is negatively affecting Socialist Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez a year ahead of the next elections.

The Migration Ministry announced Sunday the creation of 864 additional places in temporary migrant accommodation centers, bringing total capacity to around 4,300 places, with efforts underway to increase it to 6,000 “in the near future.”