Spain brands Ceuta migrant influx 'attack,' vows swift repatriations, full state response

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez on Friday described the mass influx of migrants into the Spanish enclave of Ceuta as "an attack" and "a violation of Spain's territorial integrity," while pledging to restore normality "as soon as possible."

Speaking in Ceuta, Sanchez said the government stands with residents following the migrant influx, calling the situation an unprecedented disruption to a broader trend of declining irregular migration.

"What happened yesterday deserves all our reproach, all our condemnation at the strongest possible level of rejection and condemnation of the violation and attack on the territorial integrity of a Spanish city such as Ceuta," he said.

Sanchez said Spain is expediting the processing of migrant files and repatriations for those who entered Ceuta irregularly, adding that "many of these migrants are already leaving."

He said the government's asylum commission had met on an urgent basis to facilitate expulsion procedures.

He also pledged to mobilize "all state resources" to restore normality in Ceuta "as soon as possible," saying defending security and coexistence in the city is an "urgent" matter.

According to Sanchez, the criminal smuggling networks exploited a recent Supreme Court ruling on border returns, spreading misleading interpretations through social media that triggered the mass movement toward Ceuta.

He said the government plans to install floating buoys near the breakwater to create a visible physical barrier.

The prime minister also said the government would examine whether legislative changes are needed to make border returns more effective.

Sanchez also said Spain is coordinating closely with Morocco to accelerate repatriations and combat human trafficking networks, while expressing regret over deaths that occurred during the crisis.

Initial estimates from security forces showed that more than 40,000 migrants had entered Ceuta from Morocco in recent days, most of them on Thursday, according to Spanish daily El Pais.

The death toll linked to the mass arrivals stood at 19 as of early Friday.