NewzCEUTA, Spain (AP) — About 60,000 migrants have crossed from Morocco into Spain’s tiny Ceuta territory in the past 24 hours, Ceuta's president said Friday, a figure that is equivalent to 70% of the population of the self-governing city in North Africa.But roughly half of them have already made their way back voluntarily, the Spanish government said, after the sudden arrival of so many migrants triggered chaos and a humanitarian crisis.Spain deployed its armed forces and additional police to restore order in Ceuta while security forces clashed with migrants on the Moroccan side of the border. At least 41 migrants died, including some who drowned or were killed in a stampede to cross a breakwater barrier near a border checkpoint.“The situation that Ceuta is going through is absolutely unsustainable,” Ceuta President Juan Jesús Vivas told journalists.Meanwhile, migrants from Morocco also attempted to cross into Melilla, Spain’s other territory at the tip of North Africa, where they clashed with police.Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez visited Ceuta on Friday and condemned the border breach, which he described as “a violation of Spain's territorial integrity.”Sánchez blamed human smugglers for the crisis, saying they “deceive so many young people and ultimately lead many of them to their deaths," whether in the ocean or in the autonomous city.Spain’s interior ministry, which initially refused to share estimates from the border, released its own figures shortly after Vivas’ spoke, estimating that some 50,000 people had crossed from Morocco since Thursday. It added that 25,000 had already returned to Morocco, with hundreds more going back by the hour.Video footage early on Friday showed hundreds of migrants gathered on a hill overlooking Ceuta being dispersed with tear gas by Moroccan forces, while others continued to swim to the Spanish territory.
But by Friday afternoon, most migrants were trying to leave Ceuta given the dire conditions there.Rachid Sbihi, who leads a local workers association representing Civil Guard officers, described the situation as a “serious humanitarian crisis,” saying thousands of migrants, including unaccompanied children, were left sleeping in parks and on sidewalks, while others roamed the streets aimlessly.“It’s chaotic,” Sbihi said.The Moroccan Interior Ministry did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the migrant… CEUTA, Spain (AP) — About 60,000 migrants have entered Spain’s Ceuta from Morocco in the past 24 hours, Ceuta's president said on Friday. That is equivalent to 70% of the city's regular population.At least 41 migrants have died attempting the crossing.“The situation that Ceuta is going through is absolutely unsustainable,” Juan Jesús Vivas told journalists.Spain's Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez visited Ceuta on Friday and condemned the border breach which he described as “a violation of Spain's territorial integrity.”Sánchez blamed human smugglers for the crisis, saying they “deceive so many young people, and ultimately lead many of them to their deaths — whether in the ocean or, as in this case, at Spain’s border in the autonomous city of Ceuta.”Spain’s interior ministry, which had initially refused to share estimates from the border, released its own figures shortly after Vivas’ spoke, estimating that some 50,000 people had crossed from Morocco since Thursday.
It added that half had already returned to Morocco, and shared footage of migrants walking back through a border fence door.The border crisis boiled over with security forces clashing with migrants on the Moroccan side of the border.Video footage of the border early on Friday showed hundreds of migrants gathered on a hill overlooking Ceuta being dispersed with tear gas by Moroccan forces, while others continued to swim to the Spanish territory.Rachid Sbihi, who leads a local workers association representing Civil Guard officers, described the situation as a “serious humanitarian crisis,” saying thousands of migrants, including unaccompanied children, were left sleeping in parks and on sidewalks, while others roamed the streets aimlessly. “It’s chaotic.”Morocco’s Interior Ministry did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the migrant figures released by the Spanish authorities.European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said the “images coming from Ceuta are unacceptable.”“We cannot allow anyone to come to our Union without abiding by our rules,” she said in an online statement on Friday. “Dangerous crossings must stop immediately.
Smuggling networks must be dismantled. And returns must be swift, as our rules allow.”‘People are still coming’Some of the 41 people who died had drowned, Sbihi said, but some were also killed in a stampede to cross the breakwater fence at Tarajal beach,… The European Union on Friday sought to contain a major migrant crisis after around 60,000 people crossed from Morocco into Spain's North African enclave of Ceuta in just days, overwhelming local authorities and triggering diplomatic tensions across the bloc.
Thousands make dramatic sea crossing into Ceuta from Morocco Submitted by Areeb Ullah on Fri, 07/31/2026 - 12:16 Spain says around 60,000 people entered the North African enclave by land and sea, including thousands of children People from Morocco arrive at the Spanish border in Ceuta on 31 July 2026, as thousands enter the enclave by land and sea (Reuters) Off Spain is scrambling to reinforce the borders of its North African enclave of Ceuta and prevent further mass crossings after thousands of people entered the Spanish territory from Morocco. The enclave's leader says approximately 60,000 people had crossed into Ceuta from Morocco. Madrid estimates that around 8,000 of them were children.
Spain's interior ministry said approximately 13,000 people had been returned to Morocco on Friday. Footage posted online showed people swimming into the enclave around the border barrier, with some wearing swimsuits and using flotation rings to make the dangerous journey. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); “We’re really happy to be here,” said Jadid Zacaria, who crossed into Ceuta from Morocco.
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