Khaberni - Moroccan Minister of Justice Abdel Latif Wahbi confirmed today, Saturday, that Morocco is ready to recover Moroccan minors in Ceuta, emphasizing the necessity of reaching clear rules with the Spanish authorities regarding both minors and bodies.
Wahbi explained in an exclusive interview with "Al Arabiya" and "Al Hadath" channels about the immigrant file who stormed the Spanish enclave of Ceuta, that Morocco did not arbitrarily refuse to receive the bodies of Moroccan migrants, but rather because it was not provided with the medical files and necessary data to verify their identities, saying that Moroccan authorities "cannot receive the bodies without knowing who they belong to".
He added that Morocco requested from the Spanish side the files related to the deaths, pointing out that the available data do not yet allow determining whether all the deceased were Moroccans or from other countries. He clarified that Morocco "does not differentiate between the dead and the living", but rather the Rabat authorities are ready to receive the Moroccan minors, and send buses to Ceuta to transport them to Morocco, wondering why the file of minors and bodies was dealt with separately.
He noted that Rabat and Madrid have not yet reached understandings regarding this file, expressing his belief that the two countries, as friendly nations, will soon reach a solution. Wahbi also urged the Spanish authorities for "clarity" and to have actions consistent with words, calling for the transfer of minors according to clear rules and files, and dealing with the migration file comprehensively instead of just handling its outcomes.
Moroccan Minister stated that his country's authorities cannot prevent migration while Spain opens its doors to migrants, believing that the two countries need to agree on a common and clear policy on migration. Wahbi criticized the delay in implementing a European decision regarding the return of minors, emphasizing that Morocco does not object to receiving them, but "we must agree on the procedure and files" because not all minors in Spain are from Morocco.
In his interview with "Al Arabiya" and "Al Hadath" channels, the Minister of Justice of Morocco addressed the impact of social media in encouraging youth and minors to migrate, considering that many of them head to Europe under the influence of images, noting that Morocco was subjected to an electronic campaign that included calls for minors to migrate and cross towards the city of Ceuta.
Regarding the events of Ceuta, Wahbi confirmed that Moroccan authorities dealt with the influx of youth and minors "with intelligence, coolness and steadiness", explaining that he was present in the north during the events and saw large numbers of youth and teenagers heading towards the city, saying: "If we had faced these youths, we would have encountered many Moroccan youth and teenagers as victims", pointing out that the authorities chose to manage the crisis in a way that would not lead to victims.
He added that some youth claimed that they were moving within their country, and some of them consider Ceuta Moroccan, adding that facing them with force would have led to severe outcomes. He also emphasized that the security solution is not sustainable, and that the real solution lies in reaching a final agreement with Spain and the European Union, and establishing clear rules to address the migration issue.
It is worth mentioning that the "Ceuta Crisis" which broke out on July 30, 2026, witnessed a mass influx of about 60,000 people towards the city by land and sea from the Moroccan area of Fnideq, resulting in drowning victims or due to stampede and falls, leading to high pressure on reception services and a political crisis between Morocco and Spain. Following the events, Spanish authorities returned tens of thousands of crossers to Morocco, while investigations into the circumstances of the deaths were initiated, along with detaining individuals suspected of exploiting migrants and extorting them and transferring them towards Europe.
