Thousands of migrants still in Ceuta after border crisis, local leader says

Between 3,000 and 5,000 migrants remain in the Spanish territory of Ceuta, following a recent influx of migrants from Morocco, according to the exclave's leader, Juan Jesús Vivas. Vivas expressed profound sorrow over the tragic loss of 100 lives during the mass migrant crossings that occurred roughly two weeks ago, when approximately 78,000 people arrived by sea in a short period.

The crisis has sparked tensions among EU nations with open borders and drawn criticism of Spain's government response, although the EU Commission praised Spain's swift actions, including the deployment of armed forces to Ceuta and its neighboring coastal territory, Melilla.

Vivas, a conservative politician, criticized the national government's response to the crisis, claiming that it was both late and insufficient. He stated that the absence of updated numbers on the remaining migrant population in Ceuta highlights the limited resources available to address the situation. While the repatriation of nearly 75,000 migrants to Morocco has somewhat alleviated the crisis, Ceuta has not yet returned to normal, with a humanitarian emergency still present and public order disturbed.

Spain's interior minister announced that the government had allocated €25 million to support minors in Ceuta, but Spanish media reports suggest that 4,860 migrant children have been registered by volunteer groups in the territory - double the official estimates. Concerns have arisen as some on the right have called for the return of migrant children to their families, despite Morocco's reluctance to accept them.

The EU's Migration Commissioner suggested that criminal networks may have been responsible for spreading disinformation, a claim supported by Spain's Socialist Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez.

The incident has raised questions about the motivations behind tens of thousands of migrants attempting to cross into Ceuta and Melilla, and it has drawn attention to Morocco's border guards' failure to deter the crossings. Vivas characterized the event as an "unequivocal attack" and expressed concern that such incidents could happen again.

Spain's interior minister pledged to work closely with Morocco to prevent further violations, promising to return migrants still in Ceuta to Morocco as soon as possible. The EU has called for increased leverage, including visa policies and trade measures, to secure Moroccan cooperation on migration. Meanwhile, Moroccan media reported calls for coordinated mass border-crossing attempts, while EU nations with open borders differ in their reactions, with Italy suspending its Schengen arrangement with Spain and the Czech Republic calling for Spain's temporary suspension from the Schengen area.