Migrant camp set ablaze in Spanish enclave of Ceuta

Protesters on Thursday set fire to a migrant camp in the Spanish enclave of Ceuta, located in North Africa. Demonstrators demanded the immediate return of migrants to Morocco, escalating tensions in the region.

Footage from Benitez beach, where migrants have been camping for weeks, showed civilians throwing belongings into the fire. Security forces intervened to separate the protesters from the migrants, who retreated to a pier. Tensions had already been high, with protesters attempting to block vehicles from the Red Cross carrying water and food to the camp.

The crisis in Ceuta began in late July when an estimated 80,000 migrants entered the Spanish enclave from Morocco, many swimming across. Official figures indicate at least 96 deaths. While many migrants have since returned to Morocco, thousands remain in Ceuta. This situation has fueled intense political debate in Spain, with the conservative opposition advocating for the return of remaining migrants. However, international law and Spanish court rulings, which prohibit collective deportations and require individual case assessments, limit such measures. Unaccompanied minors receive special protection, with approximately 1,500 children and adolescents among the migrants, about 500 of whom are considered vulnerable, particularly girls. Spanish authorities plan to transfer these minors to mainland Spain due to the considerable pressure on Ceuta's existing centers.

The migrant crisis is increasingly pressuring Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez's socialist government. The opposition criticizes the administration for inaction and an inability to manage the situation. Internal government contradictions have emerged regarding the information provided about the massive migrant wave in late July. Defense Minister Margarita Robles stated that the CNI intelligence service had warned authorities about the influx, while Interior Minister Fernando Grande-Marlaska and others claimed no such warning was received regarding the scale of the phenomenon. Prime Minister Sanchez is expected to present the government's position on the Ceuta crisis to the Spanish Parliament next week.