Spain said virtually all of the estimated 60,000 migrants who entered Ceuta in recent days have already left voluntarily, as the death toll rose to 67, according to officials. Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez blamed human smugglers, while authorities began installing a floating barrier to strengthen border security

Ceuta: Spain has said “virtually all” of the estimated 60,000 migrants who stormed its North African enclave of Ceuta by land and sea in recent days have already left again voluntarily.

The death toll of people trying to enter Ceuta was raised to at least 67 on Saturday, Spanish officials said, adding there could be additional casualties on the Moroccan side of the border, Al Jazeera reported. Some of the returnees said hunger and violence from locals in Ceuta were the reasons for leaving the Spanish territory.

Migrants recount violence

"We saw dead bodies in the morning, in a heartbreaking condition," one of the migrants who was leaving said, speaking to DW News. "They assaulted the migrants. I witnessed them slashing a migrant's hand and then cut off one of his fingers," another migrant said.