Pedro Sanchez condemns Cueta migrant crossing as 'violation' of Spain's territorial sovereignty

Spain's North African enclave of Ceuta is facing one of the largest migration surges in its history. Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez condemned the arrival of an estimated 60,000 people from Morocco, calling it an infringement on Spain's sovereignty.

“The Armed Forces will reinforce the Guardia Civil in the exercise of its powers and any others that may be necessary to maintain civil security in the city of Ceuta,” Spain's Interior Ministry said on Thursday, July 30.

Ceuta officials asked the Spanish government to declare an emergency on Thursday after tens of thousands of migrants stormed into the territory over 24 hours, with at least 43 people dying in the process.

The Spanish government says it will accelerate the return of those who entered without authorization. The influx has overwhelmed Ceuta, where the number of arrivals is estimated to be more than half the enclave's population, raising fresh concerns over migration at the European Union's only land border with Africa.

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