Ceuta appeals for aid as child migrant crisis turns 'unsustainable'

Spain's North African enclave of Ceuta appealed Wednesday for urgent government assistance after hundreds of unaccompanied migrant children overwhelmed its reception system, local authorities said, describing the situation as increasingly unsustainable.

The appeal follows a mass border crossing last week in which more than 70,000 migrants entered Ceuta from Morocco within 24 hours, straining the enclave's infrastructure. Spanish officials said nearly all adult migrants involved in the crossing have since returned to Morocco, though children remain in reception centers awaiting placement.

The influx briefly strained relations between Spain and fellow European Union states before an emergency meeting of interior ministers eased tensions this week. The EU's migration chief said the bloc had passed a 'test' of its border security, while offering Morocco additional support to prevent further crossings.