Spain sends troops to Ceuta as 50,000 migrants rush in from Morocco

A massive influx from Morocco pushed Ceuta into chaos, prompting Spain to send troops and police. The surge exposed a deadly smuggling route and deepened pressure on Europe's border controls.Stock photo used for illustrationSpain sent troops and additional police to its North African territory of Ceuta after a huge surge of migrants from Morocco triggered chaos and a humanitarian crisis. Ceuta president Juan Jesus Vivas said about 60,000 migrants crossed into the territory in 24 hours, a figure equal to about 70 per cent of the city’s population, and said at least 57 people died during the journey.The Spanish Interior Ministry later gave a lower estimate, saying around 50,000 people had crossed from Morocco since Thursday and that 37,500 had already returned to Morocco by Friday afternoon, with hundreds more going back every hour. Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, who visited Ceuta on Friday, called the breach "a violation of Spain’s territorial integrity" and blamed human smugglers for the crisis.Many migrants swam several miles to reach Ceuta, while others tried to cross a breakwater barrier near a border checkpoint. On the way, some faced attempts by authorities to push them back with water cannons, tear gas and warning shots. Spanish authorities said some migrants died by drowning, while local workers’ association leader Rachid Sbihi said some were also killed in a stampede at the breakwater fence at Tarajal Beach."The situation that Ceuta is going through is absolutely unsustainable," Vivas told journalists. Sbihi described the situation as a "serious humanitarian crisis", saying thousands of migrants, including unaccompanied children, were sleeping in parks and on pavements while others wandered through the streets. "It’s chaotic," he said. Some of the young Moroccans who crossed into Ceuta told The Associated Press they had hoped to find better work opportunities in Spain but were returning because of the mayhem. "There’s nothing at home. I’d have to work 12-hour shifts for a meager wage. That’s why I came here," said 21-year-old Abdulah Buji from Tetouan. "But I haven’t found any opportunities here either, so I have to go back." Migrants usually try to reach Ceuta by swimming from the Moroccan town of Fnideq, about 5 kilometres away, or from the nearby town of Belyounech, where the distance is shorter.Moroccan police used water cannons and fired warning shots into the air to stop migrants from crossing into Ceuta, according to rights groups in Morocco. On the Moroccan side of the border, security forces also clashed with migrants. Morocco’s ambassador to Spain, Karima Benyaich, said the situation in Ceuta had unfolded against Morocco’s wishes. "We have always prioritised legal, orderly and safe migration for all," she said. The Moroccan Interior Ministry did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the figures released by Spain. Authorities in Ceuta and Madrid linked the surge to a recent Spanish Supreme Court ruling which said migrants arriving by sea could not be summarily deported, unlike those who cross by land or climb the border fence. Sanchez said smugglers had misread the ruling. The interpretation of the judgment, he said, "spread like wildfire over the past few hours through the networks of human trafficking organisations", triggering the rush into Ceuta. He also said smugglers "deceive so many young people and ultimately lead many of them to their deaths", whether in the sea or in the city.The crisis drew reactions from Europe and beyond. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said the images from Ceuta "are unacceptable" and added: "We cannot allow anyone to come to our Union without abiding by our rules. Dangerous crossings must stop immediately. Smuggling networks must be dismantled. And returns must be swift, as our rules allow." The US State Department said it supported "the people of Spain, and all Europeans, against this egregious violation of their sovereignty and human rights" and, in a post on X, called the incident "the direct result of the Spanish Government’s deliberate efforts to enable and facilitate mass illegal migration into Europe".Sanchez has faced criticism from opponents over his migration policy after his government earlier this year moved to give residency and work permits to hundreds of thousands of migrants already in Spain without permission. He defended the policy on Friday and said it had no link to Ceuta. "This crisis in Ceuta has nothing to do with the regularization of migrants adopted by the Government of Spain, as is being falsely claimed by some," the Spanish government said in a statement late Thursday. The turmoil also had effects abroad, with Italy temporarily suspending its open-border Schengen arrangement with Spain and France saying it would strengthen checks on its border with Spain.Pressure also rose in Melilla, Spain’s other territory in North Africa, where migrants from Morocco tried to cross and clashed with police. In Bni Nsar, the Moroccan town next to Melilla, local media and rights groups reported that migrants threw stones, set police vehicles on fire, injured security personnel and that dozens were arrested. As Spain tried to restore order in Ceuta and deal with similar pressure in Melilla, the migrant surge continued to strain both territories and their borders with Morocco.With PTI Inputs- EndsPublished By: India Today Web Desk Published On: Jul 31, 2026 23:24 IST