Thousands of Migrants Storm Spain's Ceuta Enclave From Morocco in Mass Crossing
- Ceuta's leader Juan Jesús Vivas said hundreds of migrants entered the Spanish territory over the past week, overwhelming local resources
- Spanish media estimated between 2,000 and 3,000 people crossed into Ceuta on Thursday alone, though official figures were not confirmed
- Spain's Interior Minister Fernando Grande-Marlaska was expected to visit the enclave on Friday amid reports of a humanitarian and security emergency
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Spain's North African enclave of Ceuta has been hit by a large wave of migrants crossing from Morocco, with local authorities warning that the situation has become a humanitarian and security crisis.
Juan Jesús Vivas, the leader of Ceuta, said the influx had stretched the territory's resources to breaking point and called on the Spanish government to step in.
Source: Getty Images
Spain's Interior Minister Fernando Grande-Marlaska was expected to travel to Ceuta on Friday in response to the emergency.
Footage from Thursday showed migrants using inflatable rings and other flotation aids to swim into Ceuta, while others ran through an opening in the border fence.
Scale of the Crossing
The exact number of people who entered remains disputed. Spanish media put the figure for Thursday's crossing at between 2,000 and 3,000, though the Guardia Civil had not confirmed those numbers, according to Reuters.
Spain's public broadcaster RTVE reported that "hundreds" crossed during the day and said more than 1,500 people, the majority of them young Moroccan migrants, had reached Ceuta over the previous two weeks.
Vivas said the bodies of 60 people had been recovered at sea in recent months, according to RTVE. He also warned that reception centres for unaccompanied minors were operating at several times their intended capacity.
Echoes of the 2021 Crisis
The current situation has drawn comparisons to May 2021, when roughly 8,000 people entered Ceuta within a matter of days, triggering a sharp diplomatic dispute between Spain and Morocco.
Ceuta and Spain's other North African enclave, Melilla, form the only land border between the European Union and Africa. Their position on Morocco's northern coast has long made them a key entry point for migrants attempting to reach Europe.
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In recent years, Spanish authorities have reinforced barriers, expanded surveillance, and worked to improve ties with Morocco in an effort to reduce crossings, but the attempts have continued despite those measures.
Source: Legit.ng
