Thousands of people breach Morocco’s border, Spain deploys military

The Spanish government on Thursday dispatched military forces to the border with Morocco in the North African enclave of Ceuta in order to restore order there, hours after thousands of migrants breached the border and entered Spanish territory by force. Earlier, thousands of migrants streamed into the tiny Spanish territory of Ceuta from Morocco on Thursday, prompting local officials to call on Spain to declare a national emergency and send the army to restore the frontier. Spain's interior ministry said it would guarantee the safety of citizens and the integrity of the nation's border, but that the government could not declare a national emergency over migration concerns. "The situation is absolute chaos," said Rachid Sbihi, head of the association that represents Spain's Civil Guard officers in Ceuta, who police the border. "It's not possible to give precise numbers, but there are thousands of migrants crossing," he said, adding that the border had "totally collapsed."

Thousands of migrants have streamed into the tiny Spanish territory of Ceuta in North Africa from Morocco, prompting local officials to call for help from Spain’s national government in Madrid to restore the border. pic.twitter.com/S2fTWapBzR

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The escalation at the frontier between Spain and Morocco comes after a surge in migrants attempting to reach the small exclave, mainly by swimming, on Wednesday. At least three people died attempting to reach Ceuta by sea, Sbihi and activists in both Morocco and Ceuta reported. Fernando Grande-Marlaska, the Spanish Interior Minister, will travel to Ceuta on Friday to evaluate the situation.
Ceuta authorities had previously linked the spike to a Spanish Supreme Court decision earlier this month that migrants who arrive by sea cannot be immediately pushed back across the border without due process, unlike those who cross into Spain by land - by climbing over the border fence, for example.But some activists in Morocco expressed doubt that the ruling was behind the surge, arguing most migrants would have been unaware of such legal decisions.
Spain is a main point of arrival into Europe for migrants seeking better economic opportunities or an escape from violence in their home countries.But some activists in Morocco expressed doubt that the ruling was behind the surge, arguing most migrants would have been unaware of such legal decisions. Spain is a main point of arrival into Europe for migrants seeking better economic opportunities or an escape from violence in their home countries.