Following a sudden surge of thousands of migrants from Morocco into the Spanish enclave of Ceuta, Moroccan authorities have announced their readiness to facilitate the return of unaccompanied minors.
Rabat has expressed its willingness to cooperate in bringing back unaccompanied minors currently in Ceuta after tens of thousands of migrants crossed into the Spanish territory from Morocco. However, the process faces legal hurdles on the Spanish side, according to a diplomatic source quoted by the official Moroccan news agency MAP.
Morocco has pledged to identify unaccompanied minors with the goal of returning them to their home country and to collaborate closely with Spanish and European partners to achieve this. Yet, these partners must first address internal challenges, including bureaucratic and judicial obstacles embedded in their national frameworks, the source emphasized.
Ceuta sees record 72,000 migrants arrive in days
In late July, Ceuta witnessed an unprecedented influx, with approximately 72,000 migrants crossing illegally within just a few days—a figure that shattered previous records. Of these, around 70,000 have already been returned to Morocco, as reported by Spain’s Interior Ministry. The children left behind in Ceuta cannot be deported due to legal restrictions.
According to Ceuta’s local administration, over 1,000 of the roughly 2,000 individuals remaining belong to the category of unaccompanied minors. Their nationalities remain undisclosed. Human rights organizations have raised urgent concerns about the vulnerabilities these children face, including risks of exploitation, trafficking, and abuse.
Tragically, at least 80 lives have been lost, primarily due to drowning, as confirmed by a Spanish forensic medicine commission. Meanwhile, Moroccan authorities have reported 11 fatalities on their side of the border.
