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Spain will ask its European partners for solidarity over the irregular migration crisis affecting the North African enclave of Ceuta, Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Albares said ahead of a meeting involving European Union interior ministers and the European Commission.
Albares told Spanish public broadcaster TVE that Spain would raise the issue at Tuesday’s meeting, which will bring together the interior ministers of all 27 EU member states and representatives of the European Commission, according to El Pais.
He said Spain would seek support from its European partners following the large influx of migrants attempting to enter Ceuta from Morocco.
Albares also accused what he called “international reactionary forces” of acting in coordination after the crossings, rapidly exaggerating events and spreading false information about the Schengen Area.
He said Morocco had cooperated “from the very beginning” in efforts to address the crisis.
Spain and Morocco reinforced security around Ceuta after tens of thousands of migrants crossed by land and sea.
The Spanish Interior Ministry estimated that about 49,000 people entered Ceuta in a single day and said at least 19 bodies were recovered from the water.
A Spanish police source separately told Agence France-Presse that about 40,000 migrants had crossed in recent days and that 18 people died while attempting to reach the enclave.
The crossings appeared to slow after Moroccan authorities deployed water cannon vehicles, pushed crowds back and strengthened security around the border fence.
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez and Interior Minister Fernando Grande-Marlaska were expected to visit the Tarajal border crossing, while Madrid deployed troops to reinforce security.
Spain’s government said all available resources had been mobilized in response to the migration attempts.
It also decided to deploy the armed forces to Ceuta after the number of irregular crossing attempts increased.
Authorities intervened on July 30 as more than 800 irregular migrants attempted to swim from the coast near the Moroccan city of Fnideq to Ceuta.
The number of irregular migrants reported to have died while attempting to cross from Morocco to Spain was later announced as 88.
The migration crisis is expected to be discussed at Tuesday’s EU meeting as Spain seeks European support for managing the situation.
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