MADRID, Spain (AFP) — Around 8,000 migrants have arrived in Spain’s north African enclave of Ceuta since Monday, and around half have been sent back to Morocco, the Spanish government said Tuesday.
Madrid will send another 50 police officers to the territory, in addition to the 200 already announced, to boost border controls, it added in a statement.
“In addition another 150 officers are on alert in case their deployment to Ceuta is needed,” the statement said.
The government said it had set up a system to “streamline” the return of migrants to Morocco from Ceuta that could “operate 24 hours a day”.
Earlier on Tuesday Spanish Foreign Minister Arancha Gonzalez Laya asked Morocco “for a commitment to continue returning all those citizens who have entered our country irregularly, in accordance with the protocols in force between Spain and Morocco.”
© Agence France-Presse