CEUTA, Spain – Spain deployed its armed forces to the North African enclave of Ceuta on Thursday after thousands of migrants crossed from neighboring Morocco, overwhelming border security and leaving at least nine people dead in one of the territory’s largest migration emergencies in recent years.
The military will assist Spain’s Civil Guard in restoring security along the border. Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez and Interior Minister Fernando Grande-Marlaska are scheduled to visit Ceuta on Friday to oversee the government’s response.
The mass crossings have intensified pressure on Spain as authorities work to regain control of one of the European Union’s external borders.
Border Security Overwhelmed
Officials in Ceuta requested urgent support from Spain’s central government after large groups of migrants crossed into the enclave on Thursday.
Spain’s government said the armed forces would support the Civil Guard in maintaining public order throughout the city.
Rachid Sbihi, head of the association representing Civil Guard officers stationed in Ceuta, described the situation as unprecedented.
“The border has totally collapsed,” Sbihi told The Associated Press.
He said authorities could not provide an accurate count because migrants continued arriving in large numbers.
Video from the border showed crowds, most of them Moroccan nationals, walking around the Tarajal beach breakwaters and entering Spanish territory.
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Many appeared to be young men, although families with women and young children were also among those crossing. Some migrants shouted “Viva España!” as they entered Ceuta.
Spain’s government delegation in the enclave confirmed that at least nine people died during Thursday’s events but did not specify the cause of the fatalities.
Bodies were seen in the water near the crossing point. Local authorities also said dozens of people have died this year while attempting to reach Ceuta.
Spain and Morocco Coordinate Response
Spain’s Interior Ministry said Moroccan authorities were cooperating to help contain the crossings.
According to the ministry, Moroccan police intercepted numerous people attempting to reach the border.
Madrid and Rabat also agreed to work together to facilitate the return of migrants who entered Ceuta illegally.
Although migration attempts had been increasing before Thursday, officials said they had not identified a definitive reason for the sudden surge.
Morocco’s government had not publicly commented on the incident, and its Interior Ministry did not respond to requests for comment, according to the supplied material.
Spain’s Interior Ministry also rejected calls from Ceuta’s regional government to declare a national emergency.
The ministry said Spain’s emergency legislation does not classify migration flows as a national security emergency and that government agencies remain fully coordinated to manage the situation.
Regional Pressure Grows
The crisis prompted concern elsewhere in Europe.
According to the supplied material, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni threatened to suspend Italy’s participation in the Schengen open-border arrangement with Spain, saying the move would be intended to protect Italy’s borders and public safety, despite the two countries not sharing a land frontier.
Ceuta regional president Juan Jesús Vivas had previously warned that migrant reception centers were operating beyond capacity after more than 1,500 people entered the enclave during the previous week.
Thousands more crossed overnight into Thursday, leaving hundreds of migrants sleeping outdoors.
Spain’s Interior Ministry declined to provide updated migration figures before its next official report, scheduled for Aug. 3.
Government data published through July 15 showed nearly 3,000 migrants had reached Ceuta by land or sea so far this year.
Longstanding Migration Route
Local authorities have linked the recent rise in arrivals to a Spanish Supreme Court ruling that prevents the immediate return of migrants arriving by sea without legal process.
The ruling does not apply to migrants entering Spain over land, including those crossing Ceuta’s border.
Some Moroccan human rights activists questioned whether the ruling contributed to the latest surge, arguing that most migrants were unlikely to have known about the court’s decision.
Ceuta, located on Spain’s North African coast, remains one of the main entry points into Europe for migrants seeking economic opportunities or fleeing conflict.
Many attempt the crossing by swimming several kilometers from the Moroccan towns of Fnideq or Belyounech.
The latest events recalled the May 2021 migration crisis, when more than 8,000 migrants entered Ceuta within two days during a diplomatic dispute between Spain and Morocco over the Polisario Front leader Brahim Ghali.
Spanish authorities are now focused on restoring order, managing humanitarian needs and coordinating with Morocco on border security and migrant returns.
This report is based on reporting by The Associated Press.
