Brussels – Early this morning, the transfer of migrants who had been camped on the beaches of El Trampolín and Loma Colmenar began, with the migrants moving through the streets of Ceuta to the new reception centres set up in army tents. The Loma Margarita and El Embolsamiento facilities can initially accommodate around 1,800 people, 300 more than the number of places announced in recent days, according to the Minister for Inclusion and Migration, Elma Saiz. The operation, coordinated with the National Police, the Civil Guard, and the authorities of the autonomous city, is voluntary and aims to offer temporary accommodation to those who have been sleeping outdoors for weeks.
The evacuation of El Trampolín beach began at around 7 am, without incident. According to police estimates, there are between 3,500 and 5,000 people in the area. The migrants are collecting their personal belongings and being gradually grouped to facilitate an orderly transfer. The number of places in the temporary accommodation is expected to increase as the other facilities currently being set up are completed.
The situation is the result of the exceptional migration wave that swept through the Spanish exclave between 30 and 31 July. During those 48 hours, according to the latest estimate from the Madrid government, around 72,000 people entered Ceuta from Morocco, mostly by sea. Most returned quickly to Morocco. The Spanish government has estimated that around 70,000 people left the enclave in the following 24–48 hours, whilst around 5,000 remain in Ceuta today. However, the local administration’s estimate is higher, at least 9,000.
The crisis at the end of July was unprecedented for the city, which has a population of just over 80,000. The sudden influx put the reception system and local services under pressure, leaving thousands of people without stable accommodation. The human toll of the crossing was also particularly severe: the Spanish government subsequently reported over 140 deaths. Madrid responded by stepping up security measures involving the police, the Civil Guard, and the armed forces, and by initiating repatriation procedures. The government has also deployed floating barriers off the border and stepped up cooperation with Rabat.
The crisis has also had repercussions at the European level, fuelling a clash between Spain and Italy following Rome’s reintroduction of border controls with Spain. Madrid has strongly criticised the measure, arguing that irregular entries into Ceuta do not allow migrants to access the Schengen Area freely.
Almost three weeks after the July influx, therefore, the emergency is not yet over. Today’s transfers represent an attempt to get thousands of people off the streets and beaches, whilst the question of their final destination remains unresolved. Among the migrants still present are also 1,898 minors who have already been identified, whilst over 500 applications for international protection have been examined for the adults, the majority of which have been rejected.
English version by the Translation Service of Withub
