Spain deploys troops to border as thousands of migrants break through from Morocco

Spain has tightened security in the North African enclave of Ceuta after a surge in illegal migrants from Morocco. The military and additional Civil Guard forces have been deployed to the city, with local authorities declaring a humanitarian and security crisis.

This is reported by Reuters and EFE.

The Spanish Interior Ministry announced the transfer of 60 soldiers and 30 Civil Guard officers to Ceuta. In addition, 200 more special police units arrived from the mainland.

“The armed forces will reinforce the Civil Guard in the exercise of its powers and any others that may be necessary to maintain security in the city of Ceuta,” the Spanish Interior Ministry said.

Nearly 2,000 migrants have arrived in Ceuta in the past 10 days, more than 1,500 of them in the past week alone. People have reached the enclave by swimming, on inflatable mattresses, along the Tarajal border breakwater, or by climbing over barriers. This is the largest migration influx since 2021.

The president of the autonomous city, Juan Jesús Vivas, called the situation an emergency. According to him, reception centers are overcrowded, hundreds of people are forced to sleep in the open, and facilities for unaccompanied minors are operating at a capacity of up to 2,400%.

“An absolute humanitarian and social emergency,” Vivas described the situation, calling on the central government to declare a state of emergency and strengthen border protection.

Official figures show that at least nine people have died trying to reach Ceuta by sea, with local authorities saying the death toll among migrants in recent months has reached 60.

Amid the crisis, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez and Interior Minister Fernando Grande-Marlaska arrived in Ceuta. Madrid also reached an agreement with Morocco to expedite the return of people who crossed the border illegally.

The migration crisis has already sparked reactions from other EU countries. According to Italian media, the Italian government is considering temporarily reinstating border controls for people arriving from Spain. Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani called uncontrolled illegal migration a threat to national security.

Also follow “Pryamim” on Facebook , X , Telegram , and Instagram.