At least 34 migrants dead after thousands breach border into Spain's Ceuta enclave
Thousands of migrants breached the border into the Spanish enclave of Ceuta, resulting in at least 57 deaths and a significant military deployment. While many migrants have since returned to Morocco, the event has caused diplomatic tension within the European Union.
Why it matters
The incident highlights ongoing humanitarian and border security crises in North Africa and the Mediterranean, testing EU migration policies and diplomatic relations.
Spain deploys military after thousands of migrants enter Ceuta
July 30 | Duration 2:03 Spain deployed troops to reinforce police after thousands of migrants crossed from Morocco into the Spanish enclave of Ceuta in North Africa. The scene was reminiscent of 2021, when about 10,000 migrants entered the territory. Social Sharing Spain and Morocco reinforced the border fence of a Spanish enclave on Friday and appeared to have largely halted mass crossings after tens of thousands of people arrived by sea and land in a day.
At least 57 people have died, officials say, after some 60,000 crossed into Ceuta in the past few days, the leader of the Spanish enclave in North Africa, Juan Jesus Vivas, told reporters on Friday.
An estimated 48,300 migrants had voluntarily returned to Morocco by 6 p.m. local time on Friday, according to Spain's Interior Ministry.
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