Spanish PM calls Ceuta migration surge 'an assault on sovereignty', death toll rises to 27

MADRID — Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez on Friday characterized a wave of migration from Morocco toward the Spanish enclave of Ceuta as a violation of national sovereignty, blaming human smuggling networks for exploiting a recent Supreme Court ruling. Sanchez said the Spanish government is coordinating with Moroccan authorities to combat trafficking organizations and expressed sorrow over the deaths recorded in the Ceuta incidents. Spanish security sources reported that the death toll among migrants attempting to cross from Morocco into Ceuta had risen to 27. Moroccan police said around 30 people were detained during clashes near Ceuta. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said no one should be allowed to enter the bloc in violation of EU rules, adding that the Commission relies on Moroccan authorities to curb migration flows. Earlier reports said 49,000 migrants had entered Ceuta by sea and land from Morocco, with 15 of them drowning. No further details on the coordination between Spanish and Moroccan authorities were immediately available.