Spain to return all undocumented migrants who entered Ceuta in late July to Morocco

Spanish Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Albares said Tuesday that the undocumented migrants who entered Spain's North African enclave of Ceuta in late July will all return to Morocco, Xinhua reported.

photo: QAZINFORM

Albares made the remarks during a visit to Ceuta. More than 70,000 people illegally crossed the border into the enclave from neighboring Morocco at the end of July, according to Spanish government estimates.

About 100 people died during the massive migrant influx, Ceuta President Juan Jesus Vivas told an extraordinary meeting of the European Parliament's Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs last Thursday.

Most of those who entered Ceuta illegally have returned voluntarily to Morocco, but around 10,000 remained in the enclave, Vivas said recently.

Albares, the foreign minister, said some migrants had been misled by online disinformation into believing that entering Ceuta would give them the right to travel to mainland Spain or elsewhere in Europe.

"No one has left the city for the mainland (Spain)," he said. "The diplomatic work we are doing with Morocco is aimed at returning all those who have entered irregularly."

Spanish authorities have canceled all leave for military personnel and Civil Guards stationed in Ceuta amid online reports of plans for another mass border crossing on Aug. 15

Earlier, it was reported that Spain deployed a floating barrier in Ceuta as the migrant crisis death toll rose.