BRUSSELS — Spain's Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez arrived in the Spanish enclave of Ceuta on Tuesday evening, vowing to "restore order" after thousands of migrants entered from Morocco.
Around 8,000 people got into the city on boats crammed with men, women, and children, while many others swam or even paddled across the border between Monday and Tuesday.
And it is happening amid a tense diplomatic standoff between Madrid and Rabat.
At least 1,500 of those that have crossed into Ceuta, a city of 85,000 that is separated from Morocco by a 10-meter fence, are believed to be teenagers.
Authorities say that the crossings began at 2 a.m. on Monday in the border area of Ceuta known as Benzú and were then followed by a few dozen people near the eastern beach of Tarajal.
The daylight didn't stop the crossings, as entire families with children swam or boarded inflatable boats, said the spokesman. The influx continued on Tuesday, although in lower numbers.
The migrants were checked by Red Cross medics before being taken to a reception center, where they were detained, a police spokesman said on Monday.
Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, prior to his visit to the city, said during a brief television address: "We are going to restore order in (the) city and at our borders as quickly as possible.”
He added that the “sudden influx” of migrants was a “serious crisis for Spain and Europe”.
The EU has expressed solidarity with Spain and called on Morocco to halt the “irregular departures” from its shores.
EU Commissioner for Home Affairs Ylva Johansson said: “Spanish borders are European borders. The European Union wants to build a relationship with Morocco-based on trust and shared commitments. Migration is a key element in this regard.”
Sanchez said all adult migrants who entered illegally would be expelled, while the Spanish Interior Minister, Fernando Grande-Marlaska said 2,700 had already been sent back.
The flow to the enclave had dried up by midday on Tuesday, but hundreds of Moroccans who had managed to cross to the Spanish side were still on the beach.
Meanwhile, Spanish police, who have deployed armored vehicles, were using tear gas to dissuade the migrants gathered on the other side of the border from reaching Ceuta.
The Spanish enclaves of Ceuta and Melilla have the European Union's only land borders with Africa, making them popular entry points for migrants seeking a better life in Europe.
When Morocco gained independence in the 1950s Spain held onto control of the two cities.
Eighty-six migrants from sub-Saharan Africa managed to enter Melilla, 400 kilometers to the east of Ceuta, on Tuesday.
But that was out of a total of "more than 300" who attempted to cross, according to authorities. — Euronews
