MADRID — Hundreds of migrants have crossed from Morocco into Spain’s North African enclaves of Ceuta and Melilla in recent days, with many entering by swimming around border barriers, highlighting renewed migration pressures along one of the European Union’s most sensitive external frontiers.
Footage broadcast on Thursday by France 24 and Spanish local television stations showed groups of migrants swimming along the coastline before reaching Spanish territory. Others were seen gathering near the border as Spanish security forces monitored the crossings.
Ceuta and Melilla, two Spanish enclaves on the northern coast of Africa bordering Morocco, constitute the European Union’s only land borders with the African continent. The territories have long served as key entry points for migrants and asylum seekers attempting to reach Europe, often prompting heightened security measures and diplomatic coordination between Madrid and Rabat.
The president of Ceuta warned on Thursday that the enclave is facing a “very serious humanitarian and social situation” as authorities struggle to respond to the growing number of arrivals. He called for additional support from Spain’s central government and the European Union to manage the influx and provide humanitarian assistance.
Spanish authorities have not yet released updated figures on the number of recent arrivals, but officials continue to monitor the situation closely amid concerns that migration flows across the western Mediterranean route could intensify during the summer months.
The latest crossings underscore the continuing challenges facing European and North African authorities in managing irregular migration while balancing border security, humanitarian obligations, and cooperation between Spain and Morocco.
