Spain has deployed military forces to reinforce security in its North African enclave of Ceuta after thousands of migrants swam from Morocco into the territory on Thursday.
The situation turned deadly as at least 18 people drowned while attempting to reach the enclave, BBC reports.
Local authorities, who had earlier appealed to Madrid for assistance following a rise in attempted crossings, reported chaotic scenes as border controls appeared to break down.
The surge follows a ruling by Spain’s Supreme Court this month that migrants intercepted at sea while attempting to reach Ceuta or Melilla cannot be summarily returned to Morocco.
Spain’s Interior Ministry has accused human trafficking networks of exploiting the ruling to “encourage the flow of undocumented migrants”.
In response, the ministry announced that the armed forces would reinforce the Civil Guard to help maintain security in the city. It later said Spain was working with the Moroccan authorities to ensure the return of those who crossed “as soon as possible”.
The crisis has also spread to Melilla, Spain’s second autonomous city in North Africa, where local authorities said between 300 and 400 people entered from Morocco. Ceuta and Melilla are the European Union’s only land border with Africa.
The border breach has also sparked a diplomatic row with Italy. Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni described the scenes in Ceuta as “striking” and said they demonstrated that “uncontrolled illegal immigration poses a concrete threat to the security of Europe’s borders”.
She said her government was considering “extraordinary measures”, including suspending the Schengen Agreement with Spain.
Spanish Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares rejected the remarks, accusing Italian officials of “partisan demagoguery” and of using immigration for political purposes. Albares summoned the Italian ambassador to Madrid on Friday and described the comments as “improper” for a partner country.
On the ground, local authorities said crossings continued into Friday morning, with clashes reported between migrants and police. Footage shared online showed rocks being thrown at border gates, while thousands of young migrants were seen sleeping on the streets. In the nearby Moroccan town of Fnideq, authorities reportedly used water cannons to deter people attempting to cross.
Ceuta regional leader Juan Jesús Vivas warned that the influx was overwhelming local resources and urged the central government to intervene. Migrant reception centres are operating beyond capacity, prompting local authorities to accuse Madrid of responding too slowly.
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez is due to visit Ceuta on Friday and has pledged to restore normality immediately.
Spanish media estimated that between 2,000 and 3,000 people entered Ceuta on Thursday, although the Guardia Civil has yet to confirm the final figure.
The latest influx has drawn comparisons with the events of May 2021, when around 8,000 people entered the enclave over several days, triggering severe diplomatic tensions between Spain and Morocco.
