Spain to send military to Ceuta after nine die as thousands breach border

Belongings left behind by migrants float in the sea after they crossed from Morocco into the Spanish enclave of Ceuta, Thursday, July 30, 2026. (AP Photo/Antonio Sempere)

Spain will deploy its military to restore order at its border with Morocco in Ceuta after thousands of migrants streamed into the tiny Spanish territory, with at least nine dying in the attempt.

The announcement comes after local authorities in Ceuta had asked the central government in Madrid for reinforcements to manage a border crisis that had been building up before boiling over on Thursday with large crowds of people breaching the border fence.

Spain’s government said on Thursday evening it would send the armed forces to help the Civil Guard “to maintain security in the city of Ceuta”. It also announced that Spain’s Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez would join Interior Minister Fernando Grande-Marlaska and visit Ceuta on Friday.

“The situation is absolute chaos,” Rachid Sbihi, head of the association that represents Spain’s Civil Guard officers in Ceuta, who police the border, told The Associated Press.

“It’s not possible to give precise numbers, but there are thousands of migrants crossing,” he said, adding that the border had “totally collapsed”.

Achraf Maimouni, a member of the Moroccan Association for Human Rights in northern Morocco, described the situation as “exceptional”.

“The Tarajal border was opened under unusual circumstances this morning, and people crossed,” he said.

Video footage showed crowds of people, mainly Moroccans, walking around the breakwaters at Tarajal beach onto local roads. While the majority appeared to be young men, there were also families with women and small children.

“Viva España!” some shouted to a freelance photographer working for the Associated Press. It was not immediately clear what prompted so many migrants to cross to Ceuta.

Spain’s government delegation in Ceuta said at least nine people died on Thursday during the chaos.

It did not provide details on the circumstances of the deaths, but bodies could be seen floating in the water. Dozens have died this year trying to reach Ceuta, according to local authorities.

The chaos had ripple effects in Italy, another key destination for migrants.

Premier Giorgia Meloni threatened to suspend Italy’s open-border Schengen agreement with Spain “to defend our borders and ensure the safety of our citizens”, although Italy does not share a border with Spain.