Spain has announced that it has managed to stem the massive wave of migrants entering the Spanish enclave of Ceuta in North Africa, while most of the more than 50,000 people who crossed the border by land and sea are now voluntarily returning to Morocco.
The Spanish government representative in Ceuta said that 57 bodies had been found on the Spanish side of the border, while there were fears that the death toll could be even higher on the Moroccan side. According to authorities, some migrants drowned at sea, while others died as a result of crushes and panic while trying to cross the dam near the border fence.
Moroccan security forces used rubber bullets and tear gas to push back crowds at the entrance to Ceuta, in an attempt to stop migrants from entering Spanish territory. Meanwhile, on the Spanish side, military vehicles have been deployed along the border to reinforce security.
The crisis has sparked strong reactions in Europe. Some European Union leaders have called on Spain to bring the situation under control, while right-wing parties have blamed the Spanish government's more lenient migration policy, citing the amnesty granted this year to hundreds of thousands of illegal migrants.
France has announced that it will strengthen controls on the border with Spain, while Italy has threatened to suspend Spain from the Schengen free movement area if the situation is not brought under control, writes abcnews .
US President Donald Trump also reacted to the events in Ceuta, declaring: "This is what we will be in three years if the wrong side wins," referring to the upcoming US presidential elections.
Spain's Interior Ministry said around 50,000 people had crossed the border since Thursday morning, with an estimated 37,500 of them already returned. The head of the local authority in Ceuta, Juan Jesus Vivas, said up to 60,000 migrants had crossed the border in recent days.
Reuters journalists reported that Moroccan police used tear gas and water cannons to disperse crowds near the border fence. The charred remains of a bus and seven vehicles destroyed in the clashes were also seen in the area. /Telegraph
