What happened: a sudden surge of attempted entry through Ceuta
Spain faced a rapid escalation of attempted irregular entry through Ceuta, a Spanish enclave on Morocco’s northern coast. Rumours spread that Europe had opened its doors. Tens of thousands of migrants attempted to reach Spain by climbing the fenced boundary, slipping through gaps, and swimming across the Mediterranean using makeshift equipment.
Spain’s interior authorities reported an abrupt reversal by Friday evening. Spain’s interior authorities reported that more than 48,000 migrants were pushed back into Morocco and that at least 67 people died during the chaos.
Background and earlier position: Ceuta is treated as a high-security EU border gate
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