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Why Rumors About Morocco Followed Spain’s Ceuta Migrant Surge

Claims swirled that Morocco, perhaps spurred by Israel and the United States, organized a recent border disaster. That unproven speculation, experts said, was exacerbated by the region’s complicated history.

© Finbarr O'Reilly for The New York Times

Migrants from sub-Saharan Africa waiting on a beach for humanitarian assistance after about tens of thousands of people, mostly from Morocco, surged across the border into Ceuta, Spain, this month.
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Spain’s Leader Is Seen as Soft on Migrants, but He Acted Fast on Ceuta

After thousands poured into the Spanish territory in North Africa, the pro-immigration policies of Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez were blamed. The reality is more complex.

© Jorge Guerrero/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images

Spain’s prime minister, Pedro Sánchez, center, visiting Ceuta on Friday. “In less than 48 hours, my government has succeeded in fully restoring control over the border,” he said on Saturday.
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