Spain calls for EU solidarity over Ceuta migrant crisis

During a state visit by French President Emmanuel Macron to Madrid, Spanish King Felipe VI called for increased European solidarity in protecting the EU’s external borders. The King addressed the situation in Ceuta, a Spanish territory in North Africa, describing the recent influx of approximately 70,000 migrants from the Moroccan coast in July as ‘unacceptable.’ He emphasized that Spain should not bear the responsibility of managing these borders alone.

Parallel to these diplomatic calls, the Spanish Ministry of Defense has launched a military investigation following a report by Amnesty International. The organization documented allegations of systemic abuse, including beatings, humiliation, and illegal pushbacks by soldiers in Ceuta. One specific case involves a migrant in a wheelchair who alleges he was thrown from a height of six meters by Spanish soldiers. The Ministry of Defense stated the case has been referred to the prosecutor's office to determine individual responsibility and maintain the professionalism of the armed forces.