Von der Leyen demands ‘swift returns’ of migrants from Ceuta

Von der Leyen demands ‘swift returns’ of migrants from Ceuta The European Commission president demanded that "dangerous crossings must stop immediately" and that "smuggling networks must be dismantled"BRUSSELS, July 31. /TASS/. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has demanded "swift returns" of migrants from the Spanish city of Ceuta and has tasked two European commissioners with addressing the matter. "Returns must be swift, as our rules allow," she wrote on social network X. "The images coming from Ceuta are unacceptable. We cannot allow anyone to come to our Union without abiding by our rules." Von der Leyen demanded that "dangerous crossings must stop immediately" and that "smuggling networks must be dismantled." The head of the European Commission said she had tasked European Commissioner for Home Affairs and Migration Magnus Brunner and European Commissioner for the Mediterranean Dubravka Suica with addressing the situation, including by pressing Moroccan authorities to halt the flow of migrants. Earlier, the Cadena SER radio station reported, citing estimates from the Spanish Interior Ministry, that up to 49,000 migrants may have entered the autonomous city of Ceuta, located on the northern coast of Africa, over the past 24 hours. According to the station, about 7,000 of the arrivals could be minors. Meanwhile, the total population of the city stands at approximately 83,000 people. At least 28 people died trying to reach the enclave. Amid the migration crisis, Spanish authorities decided to deploy the military to help ensure security in the city. 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