Saturday, August 29, 2026

Spain: The Migrant Mess in Ceuta Continues

Hat tip Gates of Vienna



On July 30, the Spanish enclave of Ceuta, located on the North African Coast bordering Morocco, was stormed by 70,000-80,000 illegal migrants from North and Sub-Saharan Africa, many swimming onto Spanish beaches. Dozens drowned in the process.
The feckless Spanish government of Pedro Sánchez subsequently assured the rest of Europe as well as its own citizens that the overwhelming majority of these illegal migrants returned to Morocco since there was nothing for them in Ceuta in the way of asylum space, food, money, or a passage to the rest of Europe.
Yet, to this day, thousands remain (5,000-10,000), mostly camped out on the beaches, which, as one can imagine, has created a monumental health risk, not only from disease, but violent crime at the hands of some of these migrants (who are overwhelmingly young, single men). There are reports of Spanish women being sexually assaulted, as well as the usual robberies.
The latest disturbing news is that a military patrol vehicle has now been attacked by a mob of 30-40 migrants with rocks being thrown, and the unarmed soldiers having to flee for their lives. As it was, 4 of them were injured. Their military vehicle, a non-armored utility vehicle, was destroyed by the mob. Now the military is pleading for help from the feckless central government and the courts.
To me, it is unimaginable that in such a situation as this, you can send your military in without weapons and without armored vehicles. But that is the government of Pedro Sanchez.
The article below from El Debate is translated by Fousesquawk.

Soldiers cry out after attack in Ceuta: "They ran for their lives. We are tied hands and feet"
Military sources on the ground tell El Debate that, "the legal framework is incapacitating all the security forces with respect to detentions and the use of force"
The situation in Ceuta continues to worsen day by day after nearly a month since some 80,000 people invaded the border from Morocco. The tension continues to increase, and while the residents of Ceuta take to the streets to ask for measures and decisiveness, it seems that the migrants who still remain on Spanish soil are also increasing their unrest.
Proof of this is the "ambush" perpetrated in the early morning by 30-40 illegals against a military unit. Four members of the armed forces were injured by rocks and objects thrown at them, and the vehicle they were traveling in was destroyed.
Marco Antonio Gomez, president of the Association of Troops and Sailors (ATME), called the attack "something extremely serious", which demonstrates that "our troops are defenseless. They go out without arms. Our comrades had to run for their lives," Gomez says before stating: "If they caught them, we would be talking about an authentic tragedy."
This abandonment, which the soldiers say they are experiencing at the hands of the government and the Defense Ministry has been a habitual complaint since last July 30 experienced a migrant avalanche at the Tarajal border. It is for this that the various associations like the aforementioned ATME or the Union of Military Troops (UMT) have been issuing statements demanding solutions from the Executive Branch and monetary and legal resources so that the soldiers deployed in Ceuta can carry out their work in a safe and effective manner.
"Hands and feet tied"
Military sources on the ground in Ceuta inform El Debate that the deployed units find themselves "tied hands and feet" when it comes to ensuring the safety of the people of Ceuta. "At the start of the invasion, their function was deterrence and to reassure the populace," they say. "The reality," claim the same sources, "is that the legal framework keeps the security forces incapacitated with respect to detentions and the use of force."
After these first days in which the military units have collaborated at sensitive points, such as supermarkets or in the return of large groups of migrants they escorted to the border, the military has had as its principal mission maintaining a presence on the streets and "working hand-in-hand with other units like the Civil Guard, National Police, or local police".
But the operational capabilities of the Army have been underutilized since the first day of the invasion. Soldiers reveal that they have to avoid the use of force by all means possible, but that "they have done what was necessary and have intervened in situations where the illegal migrants were bothering the residents of Ceuta." They insist that the way of proceeding has been "to try to de-escalate and resolve the situation."
Despite the deployment of the soldiers in the autonomous city, mostly legionnaires from the IV Bandera and the Melilla Regulars who are working shifts of 24-36 hours with 24 rest hours, the feeling the troops convey is one of "frustration and ineffectiveness".
Without physical or legal means
The attack suffered by the soldiers in the early morning highlights the need to have clear orders and judicial backing so that the personnel deployed can utilize their abilities in the best way possible, and above all, guarantee their own safety.
The ambush that left 4 soldiers injured has highlighted the fact that the equipment that is being used in Ceuta is inadequate. Military sources confirm that the attacked vehicle, a Santana Anibal, is a "utility vehicle that is not armored," and that it is a "vehicle for logistical movements not to use in dangerous situations or anything similar". The conclusion of these military sources is unequivocal: "The Santana is an obsolete model. That's all there is to it."

FOUSESQUAWK: Spain: The Migrant Mess in Cueta Continues