Thousands of migrants break through Spain’s border into Ceuta, military called in

Spain deploys military to Ceuta after thousands of people breach Morocco’s border

Spain: Spain is sending military personnel to its North African enclave of Ceuta after thousands of migrants crossed from Morocco in one of the largest border breaches since the 2021 migration crisis, stretching local security forces beyond capacity.

The Interior Ministry announced that three military platoons of 20 soldiers each, alongside a naval vessel and a diving unit, will be deployed by Friday. Authorities are also reinforcing specialist police teams, increasing their strength to about 200 officers to restore order.

The emergency response follows a dramatic overnight influx in which hundreds of migrants reached Spanish territory by swimming around the Tarajal breakwater with inflatable tubes and other flotation devices, while others forced their way through a gate along the border fence.

A spokesperson for Spain's Guardia Civil said migrants were "massively entering from the sea", acknowledging that officers on the ground had been overwhelmed by the scale of the arrivals. Officials did not provide an official estimate of the number of crossings, although Spain's public broadcaster TVE reported between 2,000 and 3,000 people entered Ceuta. That figure had not been independently verified.

Echoes of the 2021 Crisis

The latest breach recalls the events of May 2021, when around 10,000 migrants—including thousands of minors—from Morocco and sub-Saharan Africa entered Ceuta within days, triggering a diplomatic and humanitarian crisis.

Ceuta and the neighbouring Spanish enclave of Melilla remain the European Union's only land borders with Africa, making them frequent flashpoints for irregular migration into Europe.

Spain deploys military to Ceuta after thousands of people breach Morocco’s border

Images circulating from the scene showed some migrants chanting "Long live Spain" as they crossed into the enclave.

Businesses Shut Amid Security Fears

The sudden influx prompted widespread concern among residents and business owners, with many shops closing their doors as a precaution.

Enrique Serrano, who owns a women's clothing store in central Ceuta, said local traders had begun coordinating to protect their families and businesses, fearing available police resources would be insufficient.

"I'm not opening this afternoon because the situation is extremely tense … The first thing I have to do is protect my business and my family."

Serrano said hundreds of migrants poured through the breached fence within minutes after midnight, creating a highly volatile situation.

Regional Leaders Push for Emergency Measures

Ceuta's regional government urged Madrid to declare a state of emergency and deploy the military to secure the border.

Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez later said he had assured Ceuta's regional president, Juan Jesús Vivas, that the national government was "fully focused" on responding swiftly and restoring normality.

Earlier in the day, however, Spain's Defence Ministry had indicated there were no immediate plans for a military deployment before the Interior Ministry confirmed reinforcements.

Political Tensions Intensify

The border surge has reignited debate over Spain's migration policies.

The Socialist government has pursued one of Europe's more migrant-friendly approaches, including a programme aimed at regularising the legal status of around 500,000 undocumented migrants.

Spain deploys military to Ceuta after thousands of people breach Morocco’s border

Opposition parties argue the policy could encourage additional irregular migration. Conservative People's Party leader Alberto Núñez Feijóo described the situation as dire, writing on X: "The situation in Ceuta is desperate. The government cannot look the other way… because we are facing a national security crisis."

Legal Ruling and Cross-Border Cooperation

The mass crossing comes weeks after Spain's Supreme Court ruled that migrants intercepted at sea while attempting to reach Ceuta or Melilla cannot automatically be returned under the enclaves' special border procedures.

According to the Guardia Civil, attempts to reach Ceuta had increased gradually following the ruling before surging dramatically on Thursday.

"It has been a slow trickle since the Supreme Court's ruling, but today has been an explosion."

Spain's Interior Ministry said it was coordinating closely with Moroccan authorities after preventing thousands of attempted illegal crossings in recent days. The ministry also pledged to deport migrants found to have entered unlawfully, accusing people-smuggling networks of exploiting the recent court decision to encourage irregular migration.

Morocco's Interior Ministry did not immediately comment on the developments.

Meanwhile, migrant rights activist Zakaria Zarroqui said people continued gathering in the Moroccan border city of Fnideq in hopes of reaching Ceuta, suggesting the situation remained fluid.

Mauricio Valiente, director of the Spanish Commission for Refugees, said those arriving included Moroccan and sub-Saharan African nationals, with families and people of different ages among them. While acknowledging the scale of the challenge, he argued the Spanish state has the capacity to process asylum claims and manage the humanitarian response.

The latest developments underscore the continuing pressure on Europe's southern frontier, where migration, border security and humanitarian obligations remain deeply intertwined.