Key facts
- Spain deployed military units to its autonomous city of Ceuta on Thursday.
- Thousands of migrants crossed from Morocco into Ceuta.
- At least 19 people died attempting to reach Spain.
- The border with Melilla was also closed.
- Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez is scheduled to visit Ceuta on Friday.
- Several European leaders called for stricter border controls and actions.
Spain's government deployed military units to Ceuta on Thursday after thousands of migrants forced their way from Morocco into the Spanish autonomous city. The armed forces are supporting the Civil Guard to maintain security, according to Spanish media.
Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez is scheduled to visit Ceuta on Friday to meet with local authorities and "restore normality as soon as possible." Videos showed hundreds of migrants breaking through border gates or swimming from Morocco. Police reported at least 19 deaths among those attempting to reach Spain.
The border with Spain's other North African enclave, Melilla, was also closed, with 300 to 400 people entering from Morocco. For Sánchez's government, which has pledged to legalize undocumented migrants, the situation presents a potential diplomatic challenge.
Reactions from other European countries included Italy's right-wing leader Giorgia Meloni calling for the suspension of the Schengen agreement or Spain's expulsion from the free-travel zone. French Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez announced France would implement controls at its border with Spain. Spain's Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares announced he would summon the Italian ambassador.
Opposition parties and European far-right politicians urged Spain to regain border control and warned against a repeat of the 2015 migration crisis. Manfred Weber, leader of the European People's Party group in the European Parliament, urged Sánchez to "act swiftly and firmly to protect our common external borders."