Migration and Europe
14 articlesTwo dead, at least six missing after boat sinks off Tunisia
Sea-Watch says its vessel Aurora rescued 28 people after a rubber dinghy sank off Tunisia and recovered two bodies, including a child. At least six people remain missing. Lower arrivals in Italy have not meant fewer reported deaths and disappearances in the Mediterranean.
Russian military build-up in Libya exposes new Mediterranean risk for Europe
Italy dismisses reports of an imminent Russian drone threat in the Mediterranean but faces a more concrete challenge as Russia deepens its military and logistical foothold in Libya, raising the stakes for European and NATO security on the southern front.
Libya cracks down on secret boat workshops behind migrant crossings
Libyan security forces have uncovered hidden workshops making boats for migrant crossings to Europe. Officers have seized vessels and burned parts to break up the supply chain behind the so-called 'boats of death.'
Spanish prime minister blames Morocco for Ceuta border breach
Pedro Sánchez has openly accused Morocco of failing to control its border during the July Ceuta migrant surge, demanding answers from Rabat while stressing the need for ongoing cooperation.
Spain resists Moroccan pressure as it strengthens ties with Algeria
Spain is moving ahead with closer ties to Algeria, despite Moroccan attempts to disrupt the process. Madrid is preparing for high-level visits and new citizenship laws that have unsettled Rabat and led to fresh investigations into recent border crossings.
Kurdish migrants held by armed groups in Libya face ransom threats
Ten Kurdish migrants from Iraq are being held by armed groups in Libya, with families receiving ransom demands and no official confirmation of their whereabouts. The case exposes the limits of diplomatic intervention and the dangers facing migrants on the Central Mediterranean route.
Podemos calls for Spain to cut ties with Morocco over Ceuta border deaths
Podemos has accused Morocco of orchestrating the mass entry of migrants into Ceuta, denounced Rabat as a dictatorship, and urged Spain to sever diplomatic ties, as thousands remain stranded in dire conditions and political tensions escalate.
Israel and Morocco open embassies, shifting North Africa's balance
Israel and Morocco will upgrade their diplomatic missions to full embassies, deepening defence and economic cooperation as regional rivalries and migration pressures reshape North Africa and test Europe's borders.
Brussels protest urges EU to act for Eritrean refugees in Libya
Hundreds gathered outside the European Parliament, demanding the EU intervene on behalf of Eritrean refugees detained in Libya. The protest highlighted the human cost of EU-Libya migration cooperation and renewed calls for Brussels to uphold basic rights.
Morocco and EU confront migration crisis with new diaspora investment plan
After a deadly mass crossing at Ceuta left over 100 dead, Morocco and the EU are forced to rethink their migration partnership. A proposed Diaspora Fund aims to channel remittances into local investment, targeting the roots of youth emigration.
Sudanese Arrivals Push Morocco's Asylum System to Its Limits
A sharp rise in Sudanese refugees has brought Morocco's asylum system to a breaking point, with more than 23,000 people registered by mid-2026. UNHCR and Moroccan authorities are struggling to keep up as instability in the region drives new arrivals, including many unaccompanied children.
Morocco's Economic Boom Masks Deepening Social Crisis
Morocco's government touts record infrastructure and foreign investment but the reality for most citizens is stagnant wages, political repression and a surge in youth emigration as the regime tightens its grip on dissent.
Ceuta leader demands EU action as migrant influx overwhelms city
Ceuta's president Juan Jesús Vivas has broken with Madrid and urged the EU to confront Morocco and fund urgent border security, warning that the Spanish exclave faces collapse after 80,000 migrants entered in a single day and over 150 died at sea.
Mauritanian Coast Guard Rescues 315 Migrants Near Nouadhibou
Mauritanian coast guard units rescued 315 people, including women and children, from a makeshift boat off Nouadhibou. The group, mainly from Senegal and Gambia, was attempting irregular migration under difficult humanitarian conditions.