At least 18 migrants have died trying to reach the Spanish territory of Ceuta after thousands of people breached the frontier with Morocco, according to Apnews. The border crisis boiled over Thursday and overnight, leading to chaos as crowds poured into the small Spanish enclave on the northern African coast.
Mass Crossings and Fatalities at the Ceuta Border
Many of the individuals who died perished by drowning, while others were killed in a stampede to cross the breakwater fence at Tarajal beach, an urban beach near a border checkpoint with Morocco, as reported by Apnews. The Spanish Department of National Security estimated that more than 49,000 people crossed illegally in 24 hours, citing the Interior Ministry, though that statement was later removed from its website without immediate explanation, according to Reuters.
Ahmed Karim, a 33-year-old Moroccan, explained his motivation for making the journey: Many people want to go to Europe, America, but they don’t have the opportunity,
noting that he crossed due to a lack of jobs in his home country, as cited by Apnews. Brahim, a 32-year-old who arrived from Tangier, stated that he arrived hoping to cross through the gate but found it effectively shut, according to Reuters.
Security Responses and Regional Tensions
By Friday, Spain and Morocco reinforced the border fence of the Spanish enclave and largely halted mass crossings, as noted by Reuters. Spain’s Guardia Civil police association stated on X that too few police officers were stationed to monitor the fence during the surge on Thursday, leaving them unable to stop it.
In response to the crisis, French Interior Minister Laurent Nunez stated that France would strengthen border checks with Spain by activating the Rapid Intervention Border Force, according to Apnews. Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez and Interior Minister Fernando Grande-Marlaska planned a visit to Ceuta on Friday morning. Meanwhile, Spanish authorities indicated they would attempt to expel those who entered illegally as quickly as possible, despite a recent court ruling placing restrictions on special border rejection rules that allow immediate expulsions from the enclave.
Juan Jesús Vivas, the head of Ceuta’s regional government, called on the national government to declare an emergency for national security reasons. Vivas requested additional police deployments and asked for the army to be stationed at the border to guarantee the inviolability of the frontier and citizen safety,
according to Apnews. Vivas also warned that migrant reception centers were already overwhelmed, with hundreds sleeping on the streets.
Impact on Melilla and Broader Context
Clashes erupted in Moroccan border towns, including Bni Nsar, where vehicles were torched and protesters threw rocks at police forces. Local media and rights groups reported injuries among security forces and numerous arrests during the unrest. The escalation coincided with the 27th anniversary of the entronization of Moroccan King Mohamed VI.
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