The Moroccan security forces are intensifying their presence in the northern city of Fnideq following a surge of irregular mass migration attempts toward the Spanish-administered city of Ceuta. Families are actively searching for their missing children, particularly minors, who are unaccounted for amidst these chaotic events. Reports from the Anadolu Agency indicate that life in Fnideq has gradually returned to normal as of Monday, with shops and restaurants reopening and services resuming operations.

Despite the return to normalcy, the security presence remains robust to facilitate the repatriation of migrants to their home cities while preventing any further attempts to cross the Mediterranean Sea. Concurrently, families continue their search for their missing children, with numerous minors reportedly residing in a shelter in Ceuta, as highlighted by circulating videos on Spanish media.

The legal implications of returning these minors to Morocco are complex. In January 2024, the Spanish Supreme Court ruled that the repatriation of minors from Ceuta to Morocco in August 2021 was unlawful due to the lack of necessary information gathering about each minor's situation and the absence of legal representation. On Sunday, the Moroccan Ministry of Interior reported that approximately 40,000 individuals had attempted to cross into Ceuta during the incidents that led to the tragic deaths of 11 people.

The Moroccan authorities are collaborating with their Spanish counterparts to verify reports of fatalities, including the actual number of individuals involved, their identities, and nationalities. According to Spanish media, the number of bodies recovered from the waters near Ceuta has risen to 88. Furthermore, Spanish security sources revealed that around 69,500 migrants have returned to Morocco after entering Ceuta in recent days.

On Sunday, Spanish authorities completed the installation of a 500-meter floating security barrier at the Tarajal border crossing, aimed at curbing irregular migration attempts from the Moroccan side. In recent days, tens of thousands of Moroccans had gathered near the border fence with Ceuta, seeking to access the city and subsequently Europe through irregular means. Ceuta, located on Morocco's northern coast, is administered by Spain, while Morocco continues to assert its claim for its return.

As reported by aa.com.tr.