Video footage from the Spanish city of Cueta, in North Africa on the Mediterranean Sea, shows Spanish troops repelling an influx of thousands of Sub-Saharan migrants that Moroccan authorities have allowed to stream across the border this week.
The group of migrants, numbering around 8,000, took advantage of lax border security in Morocco to invade Cueta. One female migrant told the Associated Press, “They let people pass and stand there without speaking. People just pass and pass and pass.”
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Approximately 4,000, or half, of the migrants were successfully deported after Spanish troops were summoned to the scene. Video footage captured some of the clashes between migrants and soldiers that resulted in the invading force being pushed back into the sea, as well as the events that led to the border crisis in the first place..
Images of Spanish soldiers beating migrants/refugees and throwing them into the sea on the Moroccan border. #EU #HumanRightspic.twitter.com/i5E634U1yi
— Josep Goded (@josepgoded) May 18, 2021
Moroccan border guards open gates for illegal migrants to Ceuta, Spain #migrants #Ceuta #Spain #Morocco pic.twitter.com/svlze329bJ
— Based Finland (@Based_Finland) May 18, 2021
The Spanish Prime Minister has declared a national emergency and sent troops and extra police to the Spanish enclave of Ceuta after 6,000+ migrants crossed from Morocco.
Spain send troops & police to stop illegals, Priti Patel sends welcome committees out in The Channel pic.twitter.com/fQFamPy0je
— Lady Grace (@Good_Girl_95) May 19, 2021
Spain has deployed troops to Ceuta to patrol the border with Morocco after thousands of migrants swam into the north African enclave on Monday amid heightened diplomatic tensions. pic.twitter.com/z6vXTIn9yv
— ANews (@anews) May 18, 2021
This video shows how Moroccan border guards actively open the door and let people cross into #Spain.
This is Bab Sebta (Ceuta's gate) the border between Morocco and the Spanish enclave of #Ceuta source: @Reuters pic.twitter.com/5LdzzO832I— Bruno Boelpaep (@BrunoBoelpaep) May 18, 2021
Spain has sent back 2,700 migrants to #Morocco out of the more than 6,000 who swam from the North African country into the Spanish enclave of Ceuta over the past two days.
Ceuta is Spanish territory bordering the European Union in #NorthAfrica. pic.twitter.com/3tvQRVMRmt
— Global News (@GlobalNewsEU) May 18, 2021
In #Spain soldiers carry migrants away after thousands reach #Ceuta from #Morocco
pic.twitter.com/etvprvyW3D— ©halecos Amarillosᴳᴸᴼᴮᴬᴸ ʷAͤNͣOͬNͤYˡMͤOᵍUͥSͦⁿ (@ChalecosAmarill) May 19, 2021
The Ceuta border between Morocco and Spain dawned this Wednesday with only a few dozen immigrants trying to swim from the neighboring country. epa-efe / Juan Chicano#Ceuta #Morocco #migrants #migration #Spain #epaphotos pic.twitter.com/mouXtZNOMW
— european pressphoto agency (@epaphotos) May 19, 2021
The situation appears to have stabilized as of Wednesday, with only a few migrants attempting to breach the border.