Thousands of migrants “stuck” on streets of Ceuta, Spain, minister says

More than 3,000 migrants, including several hundred minors, are still living on the streets of the Spanish North African enclave of Ceuta, Territorial Policy Minister Ángel Víctor Torres has estimated.

He said transfers to accommodation facilities designated under a government decree would continue in the coming days, with another facility to be opened if necessary, Caliber.Az reports, citing Spanish media.

“We hope that within just a few weeks everyone will be relocated and the processing of return applications will begin,” the minister noted.

Between 150 and 200 migrants voluntarily return to Morocco every day, including 160 people over the past 24 hours, according to Torres.

He further stated that only those eligible for international protection and minors who cannot be reunited with their families would remain in Spain, adding that most of those who recently arrived from Morocco would not qualify for protection.

The government plans to transfer unaccompanied minors to mainland Spain to prevent overcrowding in Ceuta.

By Bakhtiyar Abbasov