Paris: France has reinforced controls along its border with Spain following the mass arrival of migrants in Ceuta, Interior Minister Laurent Nunez said Tuesday. The measure was introduced over the weekend at President Emmanuel Macron's request after some 72,000 people crossed into the Spanish enclave in North Africa on Thursday and Friday. Madrid reported that 'almost all' of those who entered Ceuta had since been returned to Morocco, with a provisional death toll of at least 75.

According to Anadolu Agency, Nunez spoke after an emergency video conference with his European counterparts to discuss the crisis. During the meeting, Nunez highlighted that all member states expressed their solidarity with Spain, and he affirmed that France remained ready to provide further assistance through the EU border agency Frontex. He emphasized that Ceuta, as an enclave, is subject to special rules within the Schengen area, which includes very strict controls, and reassured that there had been no penetration onto the mainland.

Nunez also praised the cooperation between Spain and Morocco throughout the crisis. In response to calls from France's right and far-right factions to exclude Spain from the Schengen free-movement area, Nunez rejected the idea, asserting that member states agreed Schengen was 'not the problem' but 'rather the solution.' He reiterated that the Schengen Area was never at risk, not even minimally.

Additionally, France announced stronger controls along its border with Italy as part of broader efforts to combat irregular migration.