Police launch operation to remove migrants from Ceuta beaches

Updated by Faith Barbara N Ruhinda at 1654 EAT on Friday 18 September 2026

Police officers struggled to control crowds of migrants jostling to secure places at the site after spending weeks living on the beaches. Gunshots could be heard, with reports that police fired into the air.

Several hundred migrants have now reached the camp, which has a capacity of 1,700 people.

Most of the estimated 72,000 migrants who crossed the border from Morocco into Ceuta in July have since returned, but more than 13,000 are believed to remain in the Spanish enclave.

The operation began at about 07:00 local time (05:00 GMT) on Friday, with more than 3,000 migrants transferred, according to Spain’s state-owned news agency EFE.

During the operation, some migrants broke through a police cordon along the designated 2km (1.2-mile) route to the port. Video footage showed young men running through the darkness as police attempted to maintain control.

More than 170 police officers were deployed, including drone operators, EFE reported. The agency said the situation was later “brought under control quickly”, allowing the operation to continue.

The chaotic scenes are likely to intensify criticism from opposition parties in Spain of Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, who has faced strong political pressure over his government’s handling of the migrant crisis.

Since the influx began, residents of the 18.5 sq km (7.2 sq mile) territory have raised concerns about safety. Some residents have reportedly destroyed shelters and blocked aid intended for migrants.

Ceuta Mayor Juan Jesús Vivas told lawmakers at the European Parliament earlier this month that the influx had turned the Spanish enclave into a “pressure cooker”.

“The city is completely different than it was before this event. Ceutans have lost their joy and their lifestyles have been completely shaken up,” said the conservative mayor.

The influx of migrants in late July followed a ruling by Spain’s Supreme Court that migrants intercepted at sea while attempting to reach Ceuta could not be summarily returned to Morocco.

Following the ruling, some social media accounts circulated misinformation and offered to help migrants cross into Spanish territory for hundreds of pounds.

Thousands of people subsequently crossed the border fence or attempted to swim around the maritime barriers. Local authorities said at least 100 people died during the crossings.

-BBC

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