Spain's interior ministry says about 49,000 migrants entered Ceuta in 24 hours as the army deploys to the border

Spain's interior ministry said that around 49,000 migrants entered the Spanish autonomous city of Ceuta in northern Morocco within just 24 hours, in one of the largest migration surges of recent years. The report was published early on Saturday 1 August 2026 (10 Mordad 1405). Alongside the Civil Guard and coast guard units, Madrid also deployed army forces to control the border.

According to the broadcaster RTVE, citing Spain's interior ministry, the number of people returned to Morocco as of Friday 31 July had passed 48,300. Juan Jesús Vivas, the mayor of Ceuta, had earlier put arrivals at around 60,000 in a single day, an estimate higher than the ministry's official figure. French President Emmanuel Macron said four rapid-reaction units, along with aircraft and drones, had been deployed at the border with Spain.

The surge coincided with Throne Day celebrations in Morocco, and the government in Rabat has so far taken no official position. Ceuta is one of the European Union's two land borders with Africa, and unrest there puts pressure on the management of the Schengen frontier.