Spanish PM: No evidence of Moroccan authorities' involvement in Ceuta migrant crisis

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said on Monday that his government has found no evidence indicating the involvement of the Moroccan government in the mass entry of migrants into Ceuta in late July.

“There is no information, either from state security agencies or the National Intelligence Centre, that points to the involvement of the Moroccan authorities (in the incident),” Sanchez said in an interview with local radio station Cadena SER.

He assessed that the cooperation between Spain and Morocco in addressing the migrant crisis has been “very positive”.

He also said that resolving the problems in Ceuta would be impossible without good coordination with the Moroccan government.

Furthermore, Sanchez revealed that the investigation into the causes of the incident is still ongoing. He acknowledged that Spanish authorities have not yet obtained a complete and comprehensive picture of the events.

In late July, Ceuta — a Spanish autonomous city located on the northern coast of Africa and bordering directly with Morocco — faced a massive surge in migrant arrivals.

The Spanish Interior Ministry reported that around 72,000 migrants had crossed illegally and entered the country from Morocco.