Spain raises Ceuta migrant death toll to 67, blames trafficking networks

BASRA, Iraq — Spain's interior minister said Saturday that the number of people killed in the migrant crisis in Ceuta, the Spanish autonomous city on the northwest African coast, has risen to 67. The minister blamed human trafficking networks for the deaths and described events in Ceuta as an "unacceptable attack" on Spanish sovereignty. The ministry said people who entered the city through irregular routes would not benefit from any legal accommodation, and that security forces had brought the situation under control, with the state of emergency largely lifted. Humanitarian and security operations were continuing in the area as authorities worked to manage the aftermath of the crisis. Earlier Friday, reports indicated that around 49,000 migrants had crossed into Ceuta from Morocco by sea and land, with 15 drowning during the crossings. No further casualty updates were immediately available.