Hundreds in Morocco gather near Ceuta border in anxious wait for missing loved ones

In the northern Moroccan town of Fnideq, near the border with Spain’s Ceuta, hundreds of people have gathered, anxiously awaiting the return of missing loved ones. The mass crossing has resulted in at least 88 deaths in Ceuta and 11 in Morocco, with dozens more still unaccounted for. Hadijja, a mother who has been waiting at the border since Saturday, is desperate to find her 23-year-old son, who is currently among those returned to Morocco.

She traveled to the border from Tangier, fearing her unemployed son was among those who crossed. The majority of those who crossed were returned to Morocco within 48 hours, with Madrid working closely with Rabat to expedite the process. Some of the returnees expressed a voluntary decision to go home, while others were forced out of Ceuta.

Concerns have been raised that some of those eligible for international protection were being returned before they could request asylum. Spanish police have established an office in Ceuta to gather reports of missing individuals, particularly focusing on the welfare of unaccompanied minors. The situation remains complex, with various factors, including misinformation, speculated to have contributed to the mass crossing.