Spain sends in military to Ceuta amid influx of illegal migrants
by Paul Godfrey · UPIJuly 31 (UPI) -- Spain said Friday that it was deploying troops to Ceuta, an autonomous Spanish principality on the coast of North Africa, to deal with an influx of tens of thousands of migrants who illegally crossed from Morocco.
Authorities requested assistance from Madrid after the security situation descended into chaos on Thursday with border integrity completely overwhelmed and at least 15 people drowned after attempting to swim to Ceuta.
"The armed forces will reinforce the Civil Guard in the exercise of its powers and any others that may be necessary to maintain security in the city of Ceuta," said Spain's Interior Ministry.
It added that it was coordinating with Morocco to address the flow of migrants and that both governments were committed to coming up with and implementing measures for the swift return "of all people who have entered illegally."
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez was due to hold emergency talks with officials in Ceuta on Friday.
In a post on X, he reassured Ceuta President Juan Jesus Vivas that his administration was deploying all necessary resources and partnering with Moroccan and international authorities to "restore normalcy as soon as possible."
Separated from the Spanish mainland by the Gibraltar Strait, just 10 miles wide, Ceuta is a key staging post in the journeys of migrants trying to reach Europe, with the influx apparently triggered by a recent Spanish Supreme Court ruling that people intercepted en route to Ceuta cannot be returned to Morocco.
The interior ministry blamed organized human traffickers using the decision to "encourage the flow of undocumented migrants."
Implications for the other European countries, due to so-called Schengen free travel area that, once on the soil of any member nation, allows people to move around the continent passport-free, prompted France to tighten its border with Spain.
"In response to the situation observed in the Ceuta enclave, I gave instructions as of last night to immediately strengthen the controls at the Spanish border. Furthermore, I am activating the Rapid Intervention Border Force for in-depth checks," Interior Minister Laurent Nunez announced on X on Friday morning.