Authorities in the Spanish enclave of Ceuta on the northwestern tip of Africa have asked Madrid to declare a national emergency and send military assistance to secure the border with Morocco. The call came after video footage showed crowds of people attempting to circumvent breakwaters or scale the border fence.

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez pledged an 'immediate response,' and the Interior Ministry confirmed that armed forces personnel would be deployed to support border guards. The Guardia Civil reported that crowds broke through fences, with hundreds swimming across using inflatable tubes.

Rachid Sbihi, head of the Guardia Civil association in Ceuta, described the situation as 'absolute chaos' and said the border had 'totally collapsed.' AFP cited a Spanish government spokeswoman confirming nine deaths amid the offshore rush. The incident echoes a similar crisis in May 2021 when over 8,000 people entered the territory in two days.

Juan Jesus Vivas, head of Ceuta's regional government, called for a national security emergency declaration, warning of a 'humanitarian and social emergency.' He noted that 1,500 to 2,000 people had arrived in 10 days, equivalent to 2% of the population of 85,000.

Sanchez said the government is 'mobilizing all necessary resources' in cooperation with Moroccan and international authorities. The Interior Ministry stated that Morocco is 'closely cooperating' and agreed to return all who entered illegally. Interior Minister Fernando Grande-Marlaska plans to visit Ceuta on Friday.

The reasons for the sudden influx remain unclear, but a recent Spanish Supreme Court ruling barring immediate pushbacks of migrants arriving by sea, and a previous amnesty offer, may have contributed to the situation.

Source: www.dw.com