Ceuta migrants from Morocco leave amid shortages, president says

Ceuta migrants from Morocco entered the small Spanish territory in a sudden wave that its president put at 60,000 people since Thursday, according to CBS News.

A CBS News report from Ceuta by Aiden Stretch said many of those who crossed have already gone back. The report said shortages of food, water and shelter led most to leave voluntarily, while thousands still remained in the territory.

Spain’s prime minister described the episode as an attack, CBS News reported. The report did not give further details on the prime minister’s remarks.

What is happening in Ceuta?

Ceuta is described by CBS News as a small Spanish territory bordering Morocco. According to Ceuta’s president, tens of thousands of migrants crossed into the territory from Morocco over several days beginning Thursday.

The movement quickly created pressure inside Ceuta, CBS News reported, with basic supplies and shelter in short supply. That strain appears to be one reason many people who entered chose to leave again.

The report said thousands of migrants were still in Ceuta after the larger group had departed. It did not provide an exact current count for those remaining.

The developments have triggered a sharp response from Madrid. Spain’s prime minister’s decision to call the situation an attack shows the government is treating the crossings as more than a border-management problem, according to the account aired by CBS News.

The report also showed that the situation was not moving in one direction only. Some migrants entered Spain through Ceuta, while others reversed course after facing the conditions inside the territory.

For now, the confirmed picture is stark: Ceuta’s president says 60,000 migrants came in from Morocco since Thursday, most have left voluntarily amid shortages, and thousands remain as Spanish officials cast the episode in serious terms.

This story draws on original reporting from CBS News.