Thousands of Migrants Breach Ceuta as Madrid Deploys Troops

On Thursday, Spanish authorities reported that thousands of migrants had crossed into Ceuta from Morocco, prompting Madrid to deploy military forces and police reinforcements.

Mass Crossings via Sea and Land

On Thursday (July 30), a Civil Guard spokesperson reported that migrants are massively making their way from the sea side through the Tarajal breakwater, which serves as a marine extension of the border barrier.

In recent days, approximately 1,500 to 2,000 migrants from Morocco have arrived in Spanish Ceuta, according to state television TVE, exceeding the city’s capacity to provide care and accommodation.

Military and Police Deployment

The Ministry of the Interior announced that by Friday, three platoons of 20 soldiers each, a unit of divers, and a naval vessel will be deployed, alongside an increase in special police intervention units to a total of 200 personnel.

The regional authorities of Ceuta had previously appealed to Madrid to send troops to guarantee security and close the border with Morocco.

Pontoons, Flippers, and Border Breaches

Online services show footage of some migrants swimming from Morocco using pontoon boats, inflatable rings, or flippers, while others entered the city through a fence gate and shouted “Long live Spain!” upon crossing.

Ceuta and Melilla, Spanish autonomous cities located in North Africa, are the European Union’s only land borders with Africa and periodically face surges in migrant crossings, Reuters reports.

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Humanitarian and Social Crisis

The head of the local authorities in Ceuta, Jesus Vivas, stated that the situation is a humanitarian and social crisis, appealing for central government help, a state of emergency, and a single national command to control the situation.

However, the Ministry of the Interior assessed that a state of emergency is not envisioned for a migration crisis.

The newspaper “El Pais” recalled events from 2021 when at least five thousand migrants entered Ceuta in a single day, prompting the Spanish authorities to send troops at that time.

Government Measures and Ministerial Visit

This time, the ministry assured that it has the resources to guarantee security, migration control, and necessary humanitarian aid, with Spanish Interior Minister Fernando Grande-Marlaska scheduled to visit Ceuta on Friday (July 31).

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez emphasized on X that the government is committed to preparing appropriate measures and is cooperating with Moroccan authorities, adding that this is a time for responsible and cooperative solutions.

Criticism from Right-Wing Parties

Reuters notes that the Spanish government stands out among European nations for its liberal migration policy approach, including a program providing legal status to about 500,000 undocumented migrants.

Right-wing parties criticized the idea, arguing it encourages more migrants to come to Spain, and blamed Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez for the situation, with Conservative opposition leader Alberto Nunez Feijoo writing on X that the situation is desperate and the government cannot turn a blind eye to a national security crisis.

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