Morocco says it blocked 41,000 irregular migration attempts toward Spain's Ceuta

RABAT, Morocco — Morocco's Interior Ministry said on Sunday that authorities prevented approximately 41,000 irregular migrants from attempting to cross into the Spanish city of Ceuta. The ministry also reported that a separate attempt to reach the Spanish enclave of Melilla, involving 1,135 people, was stopped. The ministry recorded 11 deaths linked to the irregular migration attempts, stating that 10 resulted from drowning and one from a fall near Ceuta. It did not provide further details on the incidents or the period covered by the figures. Morocco's Interior Ministry said the country remained committed to strengthening international cooperation to combat irregular migration and human trafficking. It added that the misuse of digital platforms, the spread of misleading information and the activities of smuggling networks contributed to the surge in migrant attempts toward Ceuta and Melilla. Moroccan authorities said the events were not the result of temporary or spontaneous factors, without elaborating further. No additional details on the operations or response were immediately available.