Spain deploys military to Ceuta after migrant surge: What we know

What the report says

Spain has sent military personnel and police to Ceuta, its North African enclave on the border with Morocco, after a sharp rise in migrant crossings left at least 34 people dead, according to the enclave’s president and Al Jazeera’s reporting. The surge involved people trying to enter by sea and over land, with thousands arriving on Thursday and some continuing into Friday despite reinforced security. Spanish and Moroccan forces were both deployed at the frontier, while footage described crowds near the beach and border barriers.

The developments came as Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez visited Ceuta on Friday and said about 60,000 people had entered the enclave in recent days, a figure that would amount to more than half of Ceuta’s population. He said the government would use all available resources to protect the territory and work with Morocco on repatriations. Al Jazeera reported that authorities linked some of the disruption to a recent Spanish Supreme Court ruling on returns after sea arrivals, though migrant-rights activists in Morocco disputed that explanation.

Ceuta is one of only two land borders between the European Union and Africa, making it a major transit point for people seeking to reach Europe. The crisis has also triggered political fallout beyond Spain, with opposition figures accusing Sanchez’s government of failing to control migration and European leaders calling for tighter border measures. France said it would intensify checks at its border with Spain, while Italian officials raised the possibility of exceptional steps, including discussion of Schengen-related measures.