Abdulah Buji, upon hearing a breach had opened at the border, raced from his home in northern Morocco to Ceuta. He joined thousands attempting to swim to the small Spanish enclave in North Africa. Like many of his countrymen, Buji hoped this mass crossing could eventually lead him to Spain and a new life in Europe.
Buji, 21, who studies to become a teacher, expressed his ambition. “Spain offers a future opportunity unlike Morocco,” he said. “I’m talented. I need a chance.” Yet his initial excitement was replaced with the stark reality of being far from his ultimate goal. Continental Europe lay across the Mediterranean, and neither he nor the new arrivals received a warm welcome. Spanish authorities instructed them to turn back or face possible expulsion.
Buji recounted he nearly became one of over 50 who drowned trying to swim to Ceuta, bypassing a border fence. He crossed but lost belongings and money on the way. Faced with potential legal limbo and detention, he returned home.
“I’ve spent 14 years studying, but back home, opportunities are scarce,” Buji told The Associated Press. “Here, there are also no prospects, so I must return.”
Humanitarian Crisis Unfolds Amid Mass Migration
Of the 60,000 who crossed from Thursday to Friday morning, about 45,000 quickly returned to Moroccan territory. Many spent the night on Ceuta’s streets, surrounded by anxious locals and armed Spanish police and soldiers. The massive influx, equivalent to 70% of Ceuta’s population, prompted the call for police and military intervention to restore order. Residents worried about the young men wandering aimlessly through their streets.
Ceuta’s residents recalled a smaller migration crisis in 2021 when Morocco’s government relaxed border controls, allowing thousands to enter Ceuta over two days. This time, the city faced a far greater humanitarian crisis.
Desperation Drives Migration
As reports and videos of migrants arriving in Ceuta spread online, more headed north, hoping to reach EU territory. Rabat’s and Casablanca’s train stations became crowded with people trying to reach the Ceuta border. Local media showed police preventing some from boarding trains and buses. The reason for the surge remained unclear, yet social media buzzed with posts encouraging Moroccans to attempt entry to Ceuta.
Myriam Cherti, a principal researcher at the University of Oxford’s Centre on Migration, Policy and Society, noted social media posts provided practical advice to migrants on crossing and what to say to enhance their stay chances further.
Cherti explained that migrants she interviewed over the past year lost track of their border crossing attempts. “Out of desperation, they keep trying. They have tried other ways to build a life and failed. They feel obliged to support their families,” she said. “Reaching Spain is only plausible there.”
Ahmed Karim, 33, one who managed to cross into Ceuta, voiced the broader issue. “It is tough to leave Morocco,” he said. Many seek opportunities in Europe or America but lack the means to leave.
Families Search Amidst the Chaos
Some who crossed did so without plans to stay. They searched for missing relatives or loved ones, hoping they weren’t among the dead.
Ikrra Khai, 33, regularly obtains temporary work permits for Spanish farms. She spent Friday in Ceuta seeking her friend’s brother. “I don’t know if he’s dead or alive,” she said. “I have his residency card. But I don’t know where he is. I’m looking for him.”
Reporting provided by Wilson from Barcelona, with contributions from AP journalists Danica Kirka in London and Akram Oubachir in Fnideq, Morocco.