Spain evacuates migrant camp in Ceuta – hundreds of infiltrators return to Morocco

Spanish security forces evacuated the migrant camp at the port of Ceuta, as part of a plan to close seven temporary reception facilities in the area. More than 300 Moroccans have returned to their homeland in recent days, after waiting there for over three months.

Spanish police yesterday (Monday) evacuated the temporary migrant camp at the port of Ceuta, the Spanish enclave on the North African coast bordering Morocco, as part of an operation to close the site. According to local media in Spain, the evacuation led to an increase in the number of Moroccans choosing to return to their homeland. Under the government plan, all seven temporary reception facilities set up around the city will be gradually closed, following the arrival of over 60,000 infiltrators at the end of July. Currently, about 5,800 registered people reside in them. The dismantling began on Sunday, when 50 tents of the Spanish International Development Cooperation Agency were removed. The use of the port area for reception facilities drew criticism on security grounds, due to the strategic importance of the site. The closure of the camp accelerated the departure of infiltrators, with more than 300 Moroccans returning to their homeland in the last two days, after staying in Ceuta for over three months awaiting a solution. According to the latest official data, 14,818 migrants have returned to Morocco since their arrival at the end of July. Of these, 14,180 left voluntarily and 638 were deported. Spanish Immigration Minister Alma Saiz Delgado said that 6,113 people have so far undergone the screening process. Meanwhile, 3,650 minors remain under the supervision of local authorities in Ceuta.