Morocco-Ceuta crossing sees 60,000 arrivals as Spain forces many back

Tens of thousands of Moroccans crossed into Ceuta as Spanish forces moved to push them back. The chaotic surge exposed desperation, deaths and the false hope of an easy route to Europe.Image used for representational purposes onlyTens of thousands of people crossed from Morocco into Ceuta between Thursday and Friday morning, triggering a humanitarian crisis in the Spanish territory in North Africa. Many were driven by the hope that crossing into Ceuta could open a path to Spain and a new life in Europe, but Spanish authorities told the new arrivals to turn back or face eventual expulsion.Of the 60,000 people who crossed, about 45,000 had returned to Moroccan territory within hours after many spent the night on Ceuta's streets amid armed Spanish police and soldiers. The influx, equal to 70 per cent of Ceuta's resident population, also came with heavy loss of life, with more than 50 people dying while trying to reach the territory by swimming around a border fence.Among those who made the crossing was 21-year-old Abdulah Buji, a trainee teacher from northern Morocco who rushed to Ceuta on his motorbike after hearing that the border had been breached. "Spain gives you the chance to make your future, not like Morocco," he said. "I am a talented boy. I just want a chance."But after reaching Spanish soil, Buji said he soon realised he was still far from his goal, with mainland Europe across the Mediterranean and the new arrivals unwelcome in Ceuta. He said he nearly died in the crossing, lost his belongings and money, and decided to go back when he understood he could face legal limbo and detention. "I've spent perhaps 14 years studying, but there's nothing at home, and I'd have to work 12-hour shifts for a meager wage," Buji told The Associated Press. "That's why I came here, but I haven't found any opportunities here either, so I have to go back." The large influx alarmed local authorities and residents, with thousands of mostly young men walking through the streets as security forces moved in to restore order. Residents recalled a similar but smaller crisis in 2021, when Morocco relaxed border controls and several thousand people from Morocco and sub-Saharan countries entered Ceuta over two days, but this time the city faced a much larger challenge.As reports and videos of people reaching Ceuta spread on social media, more people headed north in the hope of entering European Union territory. Train stations in Rabat and Casablanca were crowded with people trying to reach the border, while local media showed police stopping some from boarding trains and buses. It is not clear what triggered the surge, but Myriam Cherti, a senior researcher at the University of Oxford's Centre on Migration, Policy and Society, said social media had been filled with posts in the days before the crossing began. She said the posts included practical details on how to cross the border and what migrants should say to improve their chances of being allowed to stay. Cherti said some migrants she interviewed over the past year had lost count of how many times they had tried to cross. "They're doing it out of despair, they're doing it because they've tried other ways to build a life and failed, they're doing it because they feel the obligation that they want to help their families and support them," she said. "And that's possible if they make it to Spain and not necessarily possible if they stay" in Morocco.Ahmed Karim, 33, who also crossed into Ceuta, said he was unemployed and that many Moroccans also faced difficulty travelling outside the country. He said many Moroccans wanted to go to Europe or America, "but they don't have the opportunity."Some of those who crossed were not trying to stay in Ceuta but were searching for missing relatives and fearing they might be among the dead. Ikrra Khai, 33, one of thousands of Moroccan women who regularly receive temporary permits to work on Spanish farms during harvest season, was in Ceuta on Friday looking for the brother of a close friend. "I don't know if he is dead or alive," she said. "I have his residency card. But I don't know where he is. I'm searching."The rush into Ceuta brought together people hoping for a future in Europe and others searching for loved ones in the chaos. For many, the crossing was driven by desperation and the wish to support their families, but most quickly returned or were told to go back as Ceuta struggled to deal with the scale of the arrivals.With PTI Inputs- EndsPublished By: India Today Web Desk Published On: Aug 1, 2026 10:32 IST