Spain’s royals visit Muslim cemetery in Ceuta to honor migrants who died in mass border surge

King Felipe VI and Queen Letizia visited the Spanish city of Ceuta in North Africa on Tuesday in a show of solidarity with residents and the victims of a protracted migration crisis that has strained relations with Morocco.

The royal visit came with the city of 84,000 residents still grappling with the mass crossing of nearly as many migrants into Ceuta in July.

The royals met with locals who felt abandoned by mainland authorities, while also paying their respects at a Muslim cemetery to the at least 140 migrants who died in the attempt to reach European soil.

The majority of the around 80,000 who crossed were Moroccans who quickly returned, but thousands remain in the Mediterranean coastal city.

The exact number is unknown, though Ceuta’s mayor has estimated that as many as 15,000 remain. Many, including minors, have had to sleep on the streets in poor conditions or now-demolished