WATCH: 'Absolute chaos' at Spain-Morocco border; thousands breach Ceuta, at least 9 killed
&imwidth=600&imheight=450&format=webp&quality=medium "WATCH: 'Absolute chaos' at Spain-Morocco border; thousands breach Ceuta, at least 9 killed")
Chaos at Spain-Morocco border Photograph: (X)
Spain deployed troops to Ceuta after thousands of migrants breached the Moroccan border by sea and land, leaving at least nine dead amid overwhelming chaos, prompting high-level government visits.
Spain deployed military units to its North African territory of Ceuta on Thursday after thousands of migrants crossed from neighbouring Morocco in a major border breach that left at least nine people dead, according to Spanish authorities. Large crowds of migrants entered the Spanish enclave by swimming across the sea, walking along coastal routes and forcing their way through border barriers, overwhelming local security forces. Authorities said several bodies were recovered from the waters during the chaotic crossing.
The Spanish government announced that the Armed Forces would assist the Civil Guard in restoring order after local officials sought urgent reinforcements as the situation escalated.
Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez is scheduled to visit Ceuta on Friday alongside Interior Minister Fernando Grande-Marlaska to assess the situation and meet security officials and local authorities.
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Rachid Sbihi, head of a Civil Guard officers’ association in Ceuta, described the incident as “absolute chaos”, claiming that thousands of migrants had crossed into the territory and that the border had “totally collapsed”.
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Video footage circulating online showed large groups of migrants, mostly young men, moving through Ceuta after crossing from Morocco. Families, including women and children, were also seen among those arriving. The mass crossing is one of the largest attempts to enter the Spanish territory in recent years and has raised fresh concerns over border security and migration management between Spain and Morocco.
Spanish authorities have not yet released further details about the identities of those who died or the circumstances surrounding the fatalities. Investigations into the incident are expected to continue.
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