Hundreds of Migrants Returned to Morocco from Ceuta in 24 Hours

Hundreds of migrants have returned to Morocco from Spain's North African enclave of Ceuta in the past 24 hours following a border crisis. Earlier, tens of thousands had attempted to cross from Morocco into Ceuta by land and sea, according to Reuters.

According to the Spanish Ministry of Interior, around 50,000 people had crossed the border of Ceuta by the end of July, with the overwhelming majority returning to Morocco shortly thereafter. By the evening of July 31, Spanish authorities estimated that approximately 48,300 migrants had returned.

Some of the migrants told Reuters that the reasons for their return included a lack of food, harsh living conditions, and hostile attitudes encountered on site. Meanwhile, thousands of others still remain in Ceuta, hoping to obtain asylum or find a way to move to mainland Spain.

The mass border crossing has also resulted in human casualties. As of early August, the death toll from the Ceuta border crisis had reached at least 72.

In response, Spain and Morocco have strengthened border control measures. Moroccan security forces have also arrested hundreds of individuals attempting to reach the Ceuta border again following new calls for mass crossings that spread on social media.