Spain Deploys Troops To Ceuta After Mass Migrant Crossing From Morocco

Spain is sending military reinforcements to its North African enclave of Ceuta after thousands of migrants swam across the border from Morocco on Thursday, in one of the largest crossings the territory has seen in years.

At least 18 people died attempting the crossing. Local officials had already asked Madrid for extra support following a recent uptick in crossing attempts, but the situation deteriorated sharply on Thursday when border controls appeared to collapse entirely.

The surge followed a ruling by Spain’s Supreme Court earlier this month barring the summary return of migrants intercepted at sea near Ceuta or Melilla. Spain’s interior ministry blamed trafficking networks for exploiting that ruling to push more people toward the crossing, and said the armed forces would support the Civil Guard in restoring order. Officials added they were coordinating with Morocco to send back everyone who crossed as quickly as possible.

Ceuta, separated from mainland Spain by the Strait of Gibraltar, has long been a source of friction between Madrid and Rabat. Spain considers both Ceuta and its sister enclave Melilla to be full Spanish territory, equivalent to its mainland regions.

Crossings reportedly continued into Friday, with some clashes between migrants and police. Video circulating online showed rocks thrown near border gates and large numbers of young migrants sleeping rough in the streets. Between 300 and 400 people also crossed separately into Melilla.

Diplomatic fallout with Italy

The scale of the breach drew a sharp reaction from Rome. Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni said her government was weighing “extraordinary measures,” potentially including suspending the open-border Schengen arrangement with Spain — even though the two countries don’t share a land border, meaning Italy would need other EU states to cooperate to make that stick.

Spanish Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares hit back, accusing his Italian counterpart of using immigration as a political tool and calling the remarks inappropriate for a supposed European partner. He summoned Italy’s ambassador to Madrid on Friday.

Scenes on the ground

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez was due to visit Ceuta on Friday and has promised a swift return to normality. Local leader Juan Jesús Vivas said the enclave’s reception centres were overwhelmed and accused the central government of responding too slowly.

Witnesses told Reuters that Moroccan authorities used water cannon in the border town of Fnideq to try to stop people crossing, while further clashes were reported near the Beni Ansar crossing point into Melilla. Spanish media put Thursday’s crossing figure at between 2,000 and 3,000, though the Guardia Civil has not confirmed exact numbers.

The episode has drawn comparisons to May 2021, when roughly 8,000 migrants entered Ceuta within a few days, triggering a major diplomatic rift between Spain and Morocco. Ceuta and Melilla remain the EU’s only land borders with the African continent, and despite years of increased Spanish surveillance and fencing, crossing attempts have continued.