Ceuta Faces Migrant Influx as Authorities Call for Military Support
In a matter of days, more than 1,500 migrants have arrived in the Spanish city of Ceuta, located on the North African coast. This sudden influx has overwhelmed local authorities, prompting the Madrid government to dispatch military forces to assist in managing the situation. Among the new arrivals, many are unaccompanied minors and children, as reported by the national broadcaster RTVE. The Spanish government announced plans to send soldiers to support the Guardia Civil in maintaining security in Ceuta, emphasizing the urgent need for intervention.
By Friday, three trains carrying 20 soldiers each, along with a diving unit and a military ship, are expected to be deployed to the area. Additionally, special police units will be reinforced with an extra 200 officers. Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez and Interior Minister Fernando Grande-Marlaska are scheduled to visit Ceuta on Friday. The local authorities had previously requested not only military assistance but also the declaration of a state of emergency, a request that the Interior Ministry has reportedly dismissed.
Opposition leader Alberto Nuñez Feijóo from the conservative Popular Party (PP) described the situation as "desperate," criticizing Sánchez’s government for failing to address what he termed a national security crisis. In light of the escalating migration crisis, Spain and Morocco have agreed to enhance their collaboration in managing migration flows, with an emphasis on quickly repatriating individuals who have entered Ceuta illegally.
In the meantime, hundreds of migrants have arrived by swimming in the past days, including on Thursday. Reports indicate that the regional population of Ceuta, which is approximately 85,000, is struggling to cope with the sudden increase. Ceuta's regional president, Juan Jesús Vivas, had previously stated that reception facilities are completely overwhelmed, forcing many migrants to sleep in the streets.
The European Union (EU) has offered assistance to Spain in light of the migrant surge in Ceuta. Migration Commissioner Magnus Brunner expressed the EU's readiness to support Spain, including through Frontex, to help regain control of the situation. The migration issue remains a deeply divisive topic within Europe; the welcoming culture of 2015 has since evolved into a harsher stance towards refugees.
Video footage and photographs have shown predominantly young men, along with families including women and children, navigating the rocky terrain that demarcates the border between Ceuta and Morocco. RTVE reported that numerous items used by migrants during their crossing, such as swimming rings, fins, and wetsuits, were found on the beaches. Tragically, not all who attempt to reach the EU succeed; on Wednesday, the Guardia Civil discovered the bodies of two individuals who likely perished while trying to swim to Ceuta in recent days.
As reported by zdfheute.de.
