Spain defends Ceuta sovereignty after Moroccan migrant rush

Spain firmly asserted on Monday that its sovereignty over Ceuta, a North African enclave, remains "unquestionable" following a mass influx of migrants from Morocco. The majority of the estimated 60,000 individuals who stormed the border, often by swimming around barriers, have since returned to Morocco.

The Spanish government refrained from criticizing Morocco regarding the recent surge, a move analysts interpret as Morocco employing the tactic to exert pressure on Spain. Morocco, since gaining independence in 1956, has not recognized Ceuta nor its other North African territory, Melilla, as Spanish.

During a televised speech, Spanish Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Albares emphasized the integral part of Ceuta and Melilla in Spain's territory, stating it is "unquestionable, for the whole world." The Spanish delegate in Ceuta, Miguel Angel Perez, estimated that 2,500 of the migrants remained in the territory, while Ceuta's top official, Juan Jesus Vivas, put the figure between 3,000 and 5,000.

Police and military forces patrolled Ceuta's border, escorting groups of migrants back to Morocco. Some 1,000 of the remaining migrants were minors, according to the charity Save the Children, for whom the city's child protection system could only accommodate 100. Spanish Migration Minister Elma Saiz noted on Monday that the government's response was possible due to Morocco's cooperation.

While some analysts suggested Morocco may have allowed the mass crossings to apply diplomatic pressure on Spain, which has recently improved relations with Algeria, Spain's officials accused criminal gangs of disseminating rumors about a recent Spanish Supreme Court ruling on immigration that would facilitate migrant passage. EU Interior Ministers plan to discuss the migrant surge during a video call scheduled for Tuesday.