Two Moroccan men who returned home after illegally entering the Spanish-administered enclave of Ceuta revealed that severe living conditions, extreme food shortages, and an inability to find shelter forced them to abandon their journeys and head back to Morocco.
Speaking to Anadolu, the men explained that the conditions inside Ceuta were vastly different from what they had anticipated before attempting the border crossing. They reported struggling to secure basic daily necessities as commercial establishments remained closed and the city's streets became overwhelmed by the sudden arrival of thousands of migrants. The accounts come as Spain's Interior Ministry confirmed that approximately 48,300 people had returned to Morocco by Friday afternoon out of an estimated 60,000 who entered Ceuta during the multi-day surge.
Ayoub, a 29-year-old resident from the northwestern Moroccan city of Larache, stated that he crossed into Ceuta on Thursday but opted to remain for only a single night. He explained that he decided to make the attempt after seeing large crowds crossing the border, but quickly realized the severity of the situation once inside. He stated that the hardest part was not being able to secure even the most basic necessities. He noted he could not even find a piece of bread, so he decided to return to his country, adding that it is better to go back home, eat a piece of bread, and thank God.
He added that many migrants were forced to sleep on open streets due to the lack of available shelter, calling the ordeal a sobering lesson for anyone considering irregular migration.
Similarly, Othmane Assou, an agricultural laborer from Moulay Bousselham who earns approximately 100 Moroccan dirhams ($10) a day, explained that economic pressures drove him and ten friends to enter the enclave. However, after finding closed shops and no food provisions, the group decided to return to Morocco rather than remain stranded. Assou described the migrants remaining in Ceuta as lost amid growing uncertainty and a lack of support infrastructure.
Tensions continue to persist along the border zone. In the Moroccan border town of Fnideq, security forces have significantly reinforced deployments along the perimeter fence to block additional groups from approaching. Clashes periodically erupted between security personnel and crowds, with some individuals setting fire to vehicles near the border before being dispersed.
Meanwhile, Spanish authorities confirmed that the death toll along the coastal frontier has risen to 57. Search and rescue operations remain active off the coast, with officials fearing additional casualties from drownings and stampedes near the border barriers. Ceuta and its sister enclave Melilla represent the European Union's only direct land borders on the African continent, making them frequent target points for irregular migration routes into Europe.
