Spain deploys military as thousands of migrants from Morocco force their way into border city

Spain deploys military as thousands of migrants from Morocco force their way into border city

Thousands of migrants have forced their way from Morocco into Ceuta, a Spanish border city.

Videos circulating online showed thousands of migrants swimming into the Spanish enclave from the Moroccan side using inflatable inner tubes and other flotation devices.

Others were seen forcing their way through a gate in the border fence before running into the city.

Following the influx, the Spanish government has deployed military units to the area to reinforce security after the migrants overwhelmed border police.

Spain’s interior ministry said three platoons of 20 soldiers each, alongside a diving unit and a military vessel, would be deployed by Friday to strengthen border security.

The ministry added that special police intervention units would also be reinforced, bringing the total number of personnel to 200.

Earlier, Ceuta’s regional government urged authorities in Madrid to deploy the army to restore security and seal the border with Morocco.

Ceuta, along with Melilla, is one of Spain’s two autonomous cities in North Africa and forms the European Union’s (EU) only land border with the African continent.

The two enclaves have repeatedly witnessed waves of attempted crossings by migrants seeking entry into Europe.