Morocco denies involvement in migrant surge into Spain’s Ceuta

What the report says

Morocco has rejected accusations that its authorities were behind the sudden migrant influx into Spain’s North African enclave of Ceuta, according to Al Jazeera’s report citing a statement from Morocco’s Foreign Ministry on Thursday. The dispute follows an extraordinary crossing in late July, when more than 70,000 migrants entered Ceuta from nearby Morocco over two days, triggering a humanitarian emergency and intensifying political tensions between Rabat and Madrid.

The article says local officials and civil organisations reported that more than 100 people died during or after the crossings, while thousands of others, including unaccompanied minors, remain in the enclave in temporary camps or sleeping in public spaces. The arrival of so many people has fueled regular protests in Ceuta, where residents have criticized Spain’s handling of the situation. Spain’s opposition parties have also used the crisis to attack the government’s relationship with Morocco and suggest Rabat may have facilitated the crossings.

Morocco denied that there was any evidence of its involvement and said it should not be turned into a political scapegoat. The ministry also argued that migrants should be returned and that unaccompanied children should be reunited with families. Separately, Spain declassified intelligence assessments that had warned of possible mass entries, with one document saying Moroccan authorities were likely not encouraging the movement but had acted passively. The episode comes against the backdrop of broader cooperation and friction between the two countries over migration, security and the status of Western Sahara.