Migrants clashed with Moroccan forces guarding the border overnight Wednesday, as tensions rise between Madrid and RabatSpain accused Morocco of "blackmail" on Thursday for allowing a record 8,000 migrants to reach the Spanish North African enclave of Ceuta, sparking a crisis that saw clashes on the Moroccan side of the border overnight. However calm had seemingly returned to Ceuta on Thursday after Madrid moved quickly to deploy reinforcements and send most of the migrants back to Morocco. On Wednesday night hundreds of Moroccan youths had thrown stones at Moroccan forces guarding the border, forcing them to retreat. Many of the returned migrants said they hoped to get into Ceuta again if border controls were eased once more. "Asylum seekers and migrants are being used as pawns in a political game between Morocco and Spain," Amnesty said.

Source: The North Africa Journal May 20, 2021 12:53 UTC