Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez and Interior Minister Fernando Grande-Marlaska traveled to the North African Spanish enclave of Ceuta on Friday, according to DW.com, following an unprecedented surge of migration that overwhelmed local security forces. Thousands of people rushed across the border from Morocco by land and sea on Thursday, prompting the Spanish government to deploy military personnel to assist the Guardia Civil and police.
Spain Deploys Military to Ceuta After Thousands Breach Morocco Border
Estimates regarding the total number of arrivals varied among authorities and media outlets. Spanish news agency EFE cited security force estimates indicating that around 49,000 people entered Ceuta irregularly from Morocco in recent days, a massive jump from estimates of 1,500 to 2,000 just a day prior, as reported by DW.com. Reuters attributed the 49,000 figure to the interior ministry, while AFP cited a police source estimating more than 40,000 arrivals, according to DW.com. Ceuta has a total population of approximately 85,000 residents.
Casualties and Humanitarian Chaos at the Border
Authorities confirmed that at least 18 to 19 people died during the mass crossings, with victims drowning while swimming around coastal barriers or perishing in a deadly stampede at the Tarajal breakwater fence, according to Al Jazeera and DW.com. Rachid Sbihi, head of an association representing Civil Guard officers in Ceuta, described the situation as absolute chaos and a serious humanitarian crisis, noting that thousands of migrants and unaccompanied children were left sleeping on sidewalks and roaming streets that were completely overwhelmed.
People are still entering. The reinforcements that have arrived are only helping the injured and other humanitarian efforts,
Sbihi told The Associated Press, as detailed by Al Jazeera. Footage from the Tarajal area showed large groups, predominantly young men alongside families with women and children, walking onto local roads. Moroccan authorities reportedly deployed water cannon trucks at the gates into Ceuta and pushed people back, leaving charred remains of vehicles near the border following clashes.
Political Fallout Across Europe and Schengen Border Scrutiny
The border crisis triggered immediate diplomatic friction and security reactions across Europe. French Interior Minister Laurent Nunez announced on X that he instructed authorities to immediately strengthen controls at the Spanish border and activated the rapid intervention border force for in-depth checks, according to Al Jazeera and DW.com. Meanwhile, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni called for a suspension of Spain’s participation in the Schengen open-border agreement to defend European borders, a proposal supported by Finland’s Interior Minister Mari Rantanen, who stated that Spain failed to protect the external border from infiltration, as reported by DW.com.
Domestically, Ceuta regional government head Juan Jesus Vivas urged the national government to declare a security emergency and deploy the army, though Spain’s Ministry of Interior rejected the emergency declaration request on the grounds that such measures do not cover migration crises, promising additional resources instead. The events drew comparisons to a May 2021 surge when more than 8,000 people entered Ceuta over two days, reviving intense debate over migration management at the European Union’s only land borders with Africa.
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