1 of 2 | Young men who returned from Spain gather at the Bab Sebta border crossing near Fnideq, Morocco, on July 31. The unrest erupted as thousands gathered near the border, some attempted to cross into Ceuta and clashed with Moroccan security forces. File Photo by Jalal Morchidi/EPA
Aug. 31 (UPI) -- Spain's Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said Monday there is no evidence that Morocco is behind 80,000 migrants crossing into Ceuta and called out Russia and Israel for spreading disinformation.
Sanchez said officials are still investigating July's immigration surge. Tens of thousands crossed the border into Ceuta on July 30 and 31, creating a humanitarian emergency in the region.
"There's no information from any intelligence agency that raises doubts over the involvement of Moroccan authorities, " Sanchez said in a radio interview. "Cooperation with Morocco is frankly positive. I'd like to stress that we need to be aware that this crisis can be resolved only through cooperation -- and not through a lack of trust in Morocco, which would only further aggravate the already complex situation we have in Ceuta."
Sanchez said disinformation about the migrant influx has been driven by social media accounts with ties to Russia, Israel and far right organizations that seek to demonize immigrants.
