At least 18 dead as thousands breach Morocco-Ceuta border, Spain deploys military
At least 18 migrants have died attempting to reach the Spanish exclave of Ceuta, where Spain deployed its military after thousands of people breached the border with Morocco and entered the small territory.
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez was expected to visit Ceuta on Friday morning alongside Interior Minister Fernando Grande-Marlaska.
Rachid Sbihi, who leads a local workers' association representing Civil Guard officers, described the situation as a "serious humanitarian crisis." "People are still entering. The reinforcements that have arrived are only helping the injured and other humanitarian efforts," Sbihi said.
He said thousands of migrants, including unaccompanied children, were left without shelter, sleeping in parks and on sidewalks, while others wandered the streets aimlessly. "It's chaotic," he said.
Sbihi said many of the 18 who died had drowned, while others were killed in a stampede as crowds attempted to cross the breakwater fence at Tarajal beach.
Video footage from Thursday showed crowds of people, mainly Moroccan nationals, moving around the breakwaters at Tarajal beach and onto local roads. While most of those seen were young men, families with women and small children were also among the crowds.
An AP freelance photographer working at the scene late Thursday into Friday, July 30, said some people shouted "Viva Espana!" to him as they crossed. The photographer also observed people amassed on the Moroccan side of the border attempting to cross into Ceuta, as well as others walking from Ceuta back toward Morocco in an attempt to return.
It was not immediately clear what prompted the large number of crossings. Moroccan authorities have not publicly commented on the incident, and the country's Interior Ministry did not respond to requests for comment.
The escalation follows a surge in migrants attempting to reach Ceuta, primarily by swimming, on Wednesday.
The unrest has had ripple effects elsewhere in Europe. Italian Premier Giorgia Meloni threatened to suspend Italy's participation in the open-border Schengen agreement with Spain "to defend our borders and ensure the safety of our citizens," despite Italy not sharing a land border with Spain.
Authorities in Ceuta had earlier linked the surge in crossings to a Spanish Supreme Court ruling issued earlier this month that bars authorities from immediately returning migrants who arrive by sea without due process. That ruling does not apply to migrants entering Spain by land, including those who cross the border fence.
Some activists in Morocco, however, expressed doubt that the ruling was driving the surge, arguing that most migrants were unlikely to be aware of the legal decision.
Spain remains a major entry point into Europe for migrants seeking economic opportunity or fleeing violence in their home countries. To reach Ceuta, located on the northern coast of Africa, migrants often swim roughly 3 miles (5 km) from the Moroccan town of Fnideq, while others attempt a shorter crossing from the nearby town of Belyounech.
(Sourced through PTI)