On July 30, 2026, a large crowd gathered at Bab Sebta on the Morocco-Spain border, near Spain’s enclave of Ceuta and the Moroccan town of Fnideq. Photos show numerous individuals making their way into Ceuta by swimming past the border barrier, some leaving behind flotation devices and clothing used during the risky crossings. According to a police source, overnight crossings from Morocco into Ceuta resulted in thousands of migrants entering the territory, which has a population of about 80,000.
The surge in arrivals has created a crisis for Spanish authorities, prompting France to tighten border checks with Spain. Spain has deployed troops to reinforce security in Ceuta. Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez and his interior minister planned to visit the Tarajal border on Friday to oversee the situation.
AFP reporters witnessed hundreds of men, women, and children entering Ceuta by swimming around the border barrier, with some abandoning their flotation rings and clothes amid the chaos. The police reported that 18 people had died while attempting the crossing so far. Migrants explained that they had been arriving steadily throughout the night and were still arriving early Friday morning.
The cause of this recent rush remains unclear. In 2021, similar large numbers crossed into Ceuta during a period when Rabat eased border controls amid a diplomatic dispute with Spain.
The situation has also caused diplomatic tension. Italy called for Spain to be expelled from the Schengen zone on Thursday, accusing Madrid of mishandling the crisis—an action that prompted Spain to summon Italy’s ambassador and criticize Rome for political use of the crisis. Additionally, two top officials from President Donald Trump’s White House reiterated restrictive immigration policies using footage from Ceuta.
Ceuta, an 18.5-square-kilometer territory, and Melilla are Europe’s only land borders with Africa. On Thursday, jubilant migrants strolled through Ceuta’s streets, thanking Spanish authorities and shouting, “Bye bye Morocco, hello Spain.” Police and Civil Guards appeared to do little to prevent the crossings, though some tried to direct migrants to local reception centers.
Moroccan authorities had not issued an official statement on the migrant influx, but a Moroccan official, speaking anonymously, indicated that the two countries had discussed the matter.
In 2021, over 10,000 migrants accessed Ceuta from Morocco over just two days, taking advantage of eased border controls during a diplomatic crisis. That tension stemmed from Spain’s decision to host the leader of the Sahrawi independence movement, the Polisario Front, for medical treatment. The Polisario, which fought Morocco over Western Sahara’s independence, was supported by Morocco’s neighbor Algeria.
This diplomatic crisis concluded in 2022 when Madrid shifted its policy, backing Morocco’s Western Sahara claims—a move that strained relations with Algeria. Recently, Spanish Prime Minister Sanchez visited Algiers for the first time in four years, signaling a thaw in relations with Algeria.