Spain Ceuta migrant crisis brings troop deployment after border crossings
Spain said it would send troops to Ceuta after migrants crossed from Morocco, while reported arrival and death totals remained unsettled.
By Sal Moretti · Money Reporter
3 min read
The Spain Ceuta migrant crisis brought a troop deployment after large numbers of migrants crossed from Morocco into the Spanish territory, many by swimming around the border. NBC News reported Saturday that Spanish officials were increasing security after tens of thousands entered the enclave.
Euronews reported July 30, updated July 31, that Spain’s government said it would send the army to Ceuta to reinforce security. The outlet said the move followed crossings that overwhelmed local authorities and that troops would help restore order.
What happened in Ceuta?
Ceuta is a Spanish city on North Africa’s coast with a land border with Morocco. Forbes reports that it, along with Melilla, is a route used by some migrants seeking to enter Europe because it is Spanish territory.
The scale of the crossing was still unclear in the reporting available. Euronews described thousands of people swimming into Ceuta. Forbes, citing Spanish authorities, put the estimated number of arrivals at about 60,000, while NBC News described the number as tens of thousands.
That uncertainty also runs through accounts of what happened afterward. Forbes reported that Spanish authorities said at least 48,300 people had returned to Morocco by Friday afternoon, but said thousands remained and that Ceuta lacked the resources to house or feed them. Fox News separately reported the same return figure but a remaining population of fewer than 2,000, figures that do not fully align from the available reports.
Why did Spain send troops to Ceuta?
Ceuta’s regional president had asked Madrid to declare a national emergency, saying the city’s authorities were overwhelmed, according to Euronews. The Spanish Interior Ministry initially ruled out that declaration, then announced the troop deployment, the outlet reported.
Forbes reported that Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez said the border breach and large movement of migrants violated Spain’s territorial integrity, and that his government deployed the military. Spain’s response is a security measure in the territory; it does not resolve the conflicting arrival, return and casualty counts reported in the first days of the event.
What is known about deaths and the cause of the surge?
The human toll also changed between reports. Euronews reported 19 deaths among people attempting to reach Ceuta. Forbes, citing Reuters the following day, reported 57 deaths on the Spanish side of the border, including people who drowned or were crushed while trying to climb the breakwater. The differing figures should be treated as evolving reports, not a settled final total.
The cause of the sudden surge has not been established. Forbes reported that possible factors included economic hardship in Morocco, misinformation about being allowed to stay in Spain and trafficking networks. It also reported that social-media posts had claimed a court decision would prevent immediate returns for sea arrivals, while saying the ruling did not give people an automatic right to remain.
This story draws on original reporting from NBC News.