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Morocco–Spain relations 2026 Morocco–Spain border incident Ceutan mayor-president Juan Jesús Vivas says that around 60,000 undocumented migrants have entered the Spanish exclave in
Confirmed
The influx comes after Spain's Supreme Court ruled that migrants stopped at sea while trying to reach Ceuta or Melilla, another Spanish enclave, cannot be summarily returned to Morocco. Ceuta's President Juan Jesús Vivas said the arrivals amounted to around 70% of the city's population - which sits at around 83,600 according to the latest local figures.
As of Friday evening, more than 48,000 people had voluntarily returned to Morocco, Spanish officials said. Local officials had appealed to Madrid for help after a recent rise in attempted crossings, but there were chaotic scenes on Thursday as border controls apparently broke down.
The Spanish foreign minister said such remarks were "improper" for "a partner and friendly country from which we expect European solidarity and not partisan demagoguery". Spain has now deployed its armed forces to bolster security in Ceuta and at its sister city of Melilla, where between 300 to 400 crossings were also reported overnight.
Referring to a previous surge of migrants into Ceuta, Carmen Gonzalez Bermudez said: "In 2021, we saw our police and our military doing something.
What's confirmed
- The influx comes after Spain's Supreme Court ruled that migrants stopped at sea while trying to reach Ceuta or Melilla, another Spanish enclave, cannot be summarily returned to Morocco.
- As of Friday evening, more than 48,000 people had voluntarily returned to Morocco, Spanish officials said.
- The Spanish foreign minister said such remarks were "improper" for "a partner and friendly country from which we expect European solidarity and not partisan demagoguery".
- Referring to a previous surge of migrants into Ceuta, Carmen Gonzalez Bermudez said: "In 2021, we saw our police and our military doing something.
What's still developing
- The influx comes after Spain's Supreme Court ruled that migrants stopped at sea while trying to reach Ceuta or Melilla, another Spanish enclave, cannot be summarily returned to Morocco.
- As of Friday evening, more than 48,000 people had voluntarily returned to Morocco, Spanish officials said.
- Local officials had appealed to Madrid for help after a recent rise in attempted crossings, but there were chaotic scenes on Thursday as border controls apparently broke down.
- Referring to a previous surge of migrants into Ceuta, Carmen Gonzalez Bermudez said: "In 2021, we saw our police and our military doing something.
- Ceuta's President Juan Jesús Vivas said the arrivals amounted to around 70% of the city's population - which sits at around 83,600 according to the latest local figures.
- Spain has now deployed its armed forces to bolster security in Ceuta and at its sister city of Melilla, where between 300 to 400 crossings were also reported overnight.
- The Spanish foreign minister said such remarks were "improper" for "a partner and friendly country from which we expect European solidarity and not partisan demagoguery".