03.08.2026 13:59
Spain has increased security measures after more than 800 irregular migrants, mostly Moroccans and Algerians, attempted to reach Ceuta. The government has deployed armored vehicles and additional military units to the area, while the Ceuta administration has called for a national emergency. Intense security measures are being implemented along the border line due to the increased migratory pressure.
A security alert has been declared in Ceuta, Spain's autonomous city in North Africa, due to an influx of irregular migrants. After hundreds of migrants attempted to reach the area by sea and land in recent days, the Spanish government has deployed the army.
ARMORED VEHICLES AND SOLDIERS IN CEUTA
Images shared from the region showed armored personnel carriers, military trucks, and fully equipped soldiers deployed on the streets of Ceuta.
The images showed soldiers taking security measures at critical points and armored vehicles patrolling the city center.
MORE THAN 800 MIGRANTS TRIED TO CROSS BY SEA
According to Spain's official news agency EFE, more than 800 irregular migrants, mostly Moroccans and Algerians, tried to reach Ceuta by swimming from the Moroccan coast of Castillejos.
Spanish rescue teams rescued more than 300 people from the sea, while the Spanish Red Cross pulled 117 more people out of the water. The bodies of 2 people were found during the incidents.
The Associated Press also reported that thousands of people were heading to the Tarajal border line.
URGENT INTERVENTION DECISION FROM THE GOVERNMENT
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez announced that the government has mobilized all its resources.
State television TVE announced that additional soldiers and security personnel were sent to Ceuta to ensure security, and that new units would also be dispatched to the region.
The Ceuta Autonomous Government also requested the Madrid government to declare a national emergency.
CALL FOR SCHENGEN FROM ITALY
Italian Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani, on the other hand, argued that the Schengen Area should be closed to Spain following these developments.
Tajani criticized the Madrid administration, stating that irregular migration poses a serious risk to European security.