Morocco Denies Involvement in Ceuta Migrant Crisis

Morocco has officially denied any involvement in the mass influx of more than 70,000 migrants into the Spanish enclave of Ceuta on July 30 and 31. In its first official response to the crisis, the Moroccan foreign ministry stated that no data, facts, or reports establish the involvement of Moroccan authorities. The ministry further rejected being used as a scapegoat for political score settling within Spain. The events resulted in dozens of deaths and missing persons, with thousands of migrants remaining in precarious conditions in Ceuta.

The denial follows the leak of a Spanish police report that accused Moroccan security forces of permissiveness and a reduced deployment during the surge. Spanish judicial authorities have opened an investigation into whether the event constituted a hybrid operation intended to undermine the peace or independence of the Spanish state. While some Spanish opposition members have criticized the government for its handling of the situation, Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez has maintained that there is no solid proof of Moroccan orchestration.

On Wednesday, the Spanish government declassified intelligence reports. One military document suggested that while Moroccan authorities likely did not actively encourage the wave, they may have acted in a negligent and passive manner. Prime Minister Sanchez asserted that the scale of the crisis could not have been foreseen. In response, Morocco questioned why Spain has not turned back illegal migrants or returned unaccompanied minors as requested. The European Union has granted Spain 115 million euros in emergency aid to bolster border security and assist with returns.