Ceuta begins burying migrants after deadly border surge

A team of gravediggers, clad in disposable protective gear, commenced the burial of the first four migrants at Ceuta's Muslim cemetery, following a massive border crossing that resulted in dozens of deaths. A Muslim cleric performed the traditional rites, and each grave was marked with a numbered stone to allow future identification and possible repatriation. The cemetery's acting manager, Said Mohammed, outlined a plan to inter around 70 bodies in the coming days, with daily burials of ten to twelve.

Officials report that between 5,000 and 8,000 migrants remain in Ceuta after the July 30 surge, which left 82 dead on the Spanish side and 14 confirmed dead in Morocco. To date, only six migrants—adult Moroccan males—have been identified, despite fingerprint and DNA checks. Guardia Civil Lieutenant Colonel Carlos Atoche noted that Moroccan relatives face legal hurdles in entering Ceuta to provide DNA samples, hampering identification efforts.