Category: Ceuta

Morocco’s Action in Illegal Immigrant Crisis Was Unacceptable: Spanish Prime Minister

MADRID—Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez described Morocco’s actions during a crisis two weeks ago when thousands of illegal immigrants crossed into Spain’s north African enclave of Ceuta as unacceptable and an assault on national borders. Asked at a news conference on Monday about comments by the Moroccan foreign minister, who linked the immigrant crisis to…


Madrid Says Western Sahara Independence Leader Must Answer Legal Case in Spain

MADRID—A Western Sahara independence leader at the centre of a diplomatic dispute between Rabat and Madrid must answer legal charges in Spain before leaving the country, Spain said on Sunday. Spanish Foreign Minister Arancha Gonzalez Laya said last month that Polisario Front leader Brahim Ghali had arrived in Spain from Algeria for medical treatment. Spain’s…


Morocco Blames Spain for Spat, Says Weather Caused Migrant Crisis

RABAT—Moroccan Foreign Minister Nasser Bourita on Thursday blamed Spain for the diplomatic spat between the two countries and said mass migrant crossings from Morocco into the Spanish enclave of Ceuta this week were due to the weather and tired border guards. Morocco had appeared to loosen its border controls with Ceuta on Monday as thousands…


Spain: Stream of Migrants Stops as Morocco Beefs up Security

CEUTA, Spain—Authorities in Ceuta, the Spanish enclave at the center of a humanitarian crisis and a diplomatic dispute between Morocco and Spain, said Thursday that no migrants crossed overnight into the city after security forces in the neighboring north African kingdom tightened the shared border. Security forces clashed well into the night with dozens of…


Spain Speeds up Ceuta Expulsions After Migrant Tide From Morocco Ebbs

CEUTA, Spain—Spanish authorities carried out mass expulsions of migrants on Wednesday from its North African enclave of Ceuta after thousands crossed from Morocco, as the tide of humanity swimming around the border fence turned into a trickle. Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said as many as 4,800 of the more than 8,000 who entered Ceuta during…


Spain, Morocco Square Off After 6,000 Migrants Arrive by Sea

MADRID—Spain faced a humanitarian and diplomatic crisis Tuesday after thousands of Moroccans took advantage of relaxed border controls in their nation to swim or paddle in inflatable boats onto European soil. By Tuesday morning, around 6,000 people had crossed the border into the Spanish city of Ceuta since the first arrivals began early Monday, the…


Spain, Morocco Square Off After 7,000 Migrants Arrive by Sea

MADRID—Spain deployed its military to the Moroccan border on Tuesday as thousands of migrants jumped fences or swam onto European soil for the second day in a row after Rabat loosened border controls amid a deepening diplomatic spat. Overwhelmed soldiers separated the adults from the young and carried children in their arms while Red Cross…