What happened
Thousands of people on Thursday crossed from Morocco into the Spanish territory of Ceuta, marking the largest border influx the enclave has experienced since 2021. Streams of people climbed over border fences or swam onto the shores, overwhelming security forces at border controls. At least 41 people died during the crossings, according to The Associated Press.
Who said what
The autonomous Spanish cities of Ceuta and Melilla in North Africa have “long been a point of tension between Morocco and Spain,” The New York Times said. The two areas “constitute the European Union’s sole land border with Africa.”
The government in Madrid “finally reacted to what is effectively an invasion of European territory by mobilizing army units,” said The Times of London. One migrant traveling with his family told the paper, “I did not want us to miss the opportunity. Salaries are very low in Morocco — it’s dead; Morocco is dead.”
What next?
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez is due to visit Ceuta on Friday as authorities focus on restoring order. Italy has called for Spain to be suspended from the EU’s free-travel zone.