Migrants Evacuated from Ceuta Port Camp
In a significant operation, members of the National Police commenced the dismantling of the migrant camp located at the Ceuta port early on Sunday morning. This intervention, which began before 6 AM, has led to the return of dozens of migrants to Morocco, with reports indicating that while some individuals chose to return voluntarily to their homeland, others were forcibly returned after their asylum requests were denied. As of now, an official tally of those who crossed the border back into Morocco has not yet been made available.
The police operation aimed to clear the facilities at the Poniente dock, which had been occupied by many migrants since their arrivals in late July. A substantial number of officers from various units participated in this operation, cordoning off the area to ensure the process was managed efficiently. Authorities strategically selected Sunday for the intervention to prevent any overlap with activities at a nearby educational institution.
The process included transfers to the Temporary Immigration Reception Center (CATE) in El Tarajal, which allows for the identification of migrants who had not yet been registered. Those identified will either be relocated to other reception resources or returned to Morocco if their asylum applications were rejected. During this operation, several minors were also located and subsequently transferred for identification purposes. However, it remains unclear how many individuals will be reallocated or how many will return to Morocco.
This operation follows an announcement earlier this week by the Minister of Territorial Policy, Ángel Víctor Torres, regarding the impending dismantling of some provisional facilities established by the Spanish government. These facilities currently offer over 7,000 places, with approximately 5,800 individuals registered, according to figures reported by EFE. The government has identified seven sites throughout the city for this purpose and aims to regroup occupants to facilitate the closure and dismantling of those facilities that are less occupied.
The extent of the closure at the port camp will ultimately depend on the availability of spaces at other reception points, as indicated by police sources consulted by Europa Press. The location of these facilities has sparked controversy due to its proximity to an oil facility and other essential services, such as the Food Bank. Reports from Europa Press indicate that the board of directors of the Port Authority voted against the allocation of the space for this purpose, although the Ministry of Transport mandated its use for temporary accommodation.
As reported by noticiasdenavarra.com.
