Spain plans new border barrier after 60,000 migrants surge into Ceuta
Migrants break through in Spanish Ceuta (photo: Getty Images)
Spain will install a 500-meter barrier along the maritime border between its North African enclave of Ceuta and neighboring Morocco, NBC News reports.
The government announced plans to build a 500-meter protective barrier along the maritime section of Ceuta's border with Morocco. The move comes in response to a mass border crossing in which tens of thousands of people entered the enclave within a short period.
How many people died
The death toll from attempts to cross the border has risen to 67. Some people drowned, while others were killed in a crush near the breakwater. According to Ceuta authorities, cited by Sky News, the number of fatalities could be as high as 86.
According to the Interior Ministry of Spain, most of the migrants have now returned to Morocco. Several exhausted people who swam to Ceuta's Tarajal beach on Saturday morning were escorted back across the border by soldiers.
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez criticized the response of several EU leaders to the events in Ceuta. He said calls to temporarily suspend Spain from the Schengen Area were "driven by prejudice, fake news, ignorance, or political interest."
Stance on Morocco
Spanish Interior Minister Fernando Grande-Marlaska defended the government in Rabat, saying cooperation with Morocco had enabled Spain to improve the situation within 24 hours.
"Morocco is not a threat to Ceuta, or to the rest of Spain. It is a reliable partner," the minister said.
Meanwhile, hundreds of migrants who recently crossed the border returned to Morocco on Saturday, August 1. They told an Associated Press reporter they were leaving "of their own free will" after what they described as humiliating treatment by Spanish authorities.
As previously reported, the Spanish enclave of Ceuta recently experienced its largest migration crisis in years, with about 60,000 people entering the territory within a single day. Spanish authorities deployed the military to help stabilize the situation.
The crisis sparked a strong reaction across the European Union. Italy announced the suspension of Schengen rules with Spain, while France deployed additional military units, aircraft, and drones to the border.
