The Spanish city of Ceuta, located on the border with Morocco, has once again faced a wave of mass migration. On July 30, thousands of migrants attempted to cross into Ceuta. As a result of the incident, at least 15 people lost their lives, and the Spanish government decided to send additional military forces to the region.
Dozens of people trying to cross the border faced a tragedy
According to reports, thousands of migrants tried to cross from Morocco to the Spanish exclave of Ceuta, located in North Africa. According to local media reports, at least 15 people attempting to cross the border by sea drowned.
Currently, no official statement has been made as to why illegal crossings suddenly increased so much. The causes of the incident are being investigated, but the reason for the sharp increase in the migrant influx is not yet known.
The Spanish government sends the army
In connection with the situation created by the migrant influx, the Spanish government announced that security measures in Ceuta will be strengthened. For this purpose, additional military forces will be sent to the city.
It is reported that Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez and the country's interior minister will visit Ceuta today to assess the situation on the ground.
Migrant crisis creates tension between Madrid and Rome
The incident also caused political tension between Spain and Italy.
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni called the images of the migrant influx "astonishing" and stated that uncontrolled illegal migration poses a serious threat to the security of European borders.
According to her, Italy is considering the possibility of temporarily suspending the application of the Schengen agreement with Spain.
In response, Spanish Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares criticized Meloni's statements. The minister stated that European solidarity, not political rhetoric, is expected from a partner country.
Why is Ceuta one of the main routes for migrants?
Ceuta is a Spanish exclave located on the northern coast of Morocco. The city is separated from mainland Spain by the Strait of Gibraltar and has long been considered one of the main entry points for migrants trying to reach Europe.
For this reason, every mass migration incident in Ceuta is of serious importance both in humanitarian terms and in terms of the European Union's border security and migration policy.