The Spanish Armed Forces deployed in Ceuta have transported hundreds of Maghrebi migrants back to the Tarajal border crossing on Monday morning, amid heightened security measures.
Military Units Converge on Transit Routes
The military deployments, involving units from Regulares and La Legión of the Spanish Army, focused on various transit routes across the autonomous city, including the Benítez coastal road leading to the Temporary Immigrant Reception Center (CETI) and the Benzú district near the Beliones border with Morocco.
According to Europa Press, military units converged on Benzú on Monday morning, detaining a group of more than 50 migrants. Two military vans transported the group to the Tarajal border, where they were directed to return to Morocco on foot. Cadena SER reported similar operations on Sunday night, noting that army personnel intercepted young migrants on Benítez beach and transferred them in military trucks to the border zone, handing them over to neighboring Moroccan authorities.
Official Stance Collides With Disputed Returns
Official positions regarding the nature of these movements differ between administrative bodies and local civil organizations. The Government Delegation in Ceuta stated to elDiario.es that formal deportations are not taking place because such legal returns cannot be executed under these circumstances. Instead, officials asserted that members of the Armed Forces are performing the same guidance function initiated when arrivals first reached the beaches, maintaining that individuals who choose to cross back into Moroccan territory do so voluntarily and without direct physical escort by military or police personnel.
Guardia Civil sources confirmed that military personnel have advised migrants that remaining in the city offers no viable alternatives, leading many to accept departure. However, a spokesperson acknowledged that some individuals reconsidered their return upon reaching the border area, resulting in instances where migrants jumped from transport vehicles. Video footage circulating on social media captured a young man dismounting from a moving military truck during these operations.
Civil Society Challenges Voluntary Narrative
Civil society organizations have challenged the official characterization of voluntary departures. Ramsés Mohamed, spokesperson for the local association Elin, stated that the actions observed do not constitute voluntary returns. According to Elin, military trucks were deployed to remove individuals who agreed to board, while those who refused fled into the city under pressure from security forces. Mohamed reported that Sunday’s operations initially sought broader deportations across nationalities, prompting some individuals to jump into the sea or seek refuge among coastal rocks to avoid transport.
Amnesty Demands Access to Asylum
Collectives including No name Kitchen and human rights organizations have strongly criticized the deployment of military assets for border control duties. In a statement released on Monday, Amnesty International urged Spanish and Moroccan authorities to guarantee access to the asylum system, halt collective expulsions, and provide emergency humanitarian assistance without discrimination.
Acute Pressures Inside the Autonomous City
Local authorities report that population pressures inside the autonomous city remain acute. By midday, Government Delegate Miguel Ángel Pérez Triano revised that figure. Meanwhile, Alberto Gaitán, Councillor for Presidency and Governance, confirmed to Cadena SER that the city is currently sheltering more than 800 unaccompanied foreign minors, while the CETI facility houses numerous residents despite a stated capacity of 512 places.
