Spanish police report alleges Morocco orchestrated mass migration into Ceuta

A Spanish police intelligence report alleges that Moroccan security forces helped plan and direct the mass crossing of migrants into Ceuta in late July, Spanish media reported Wednesday.

The report, concerning the arrival of more than 70,000 migrants, challenges the Spanish government’s public account of the border crisis.

The police report said Moroccan gendarmes, some in uniform and others in plain clothes, guided migrants toward the Spanish enclave in successive waves aimed at overwhelming border controls, Spanish public broadcaster RTVE reported Wednesday.

The document, submitted to Spain’s National Court, describes the July 30-31 crossings, when around 72,000 people entered the Spanish enclave in North Africa, as a planned operation rather than a spontaneous movement driven by smugglers or social media calls.

The report also said police issued an alert on July 29 warning of an “extreme risk” of coordinated attempts to enter Ceuta and Melilla the following day by swimming or crossing border fences.

The findings have put the government under pressure over its previous account of the crisis. On Tuesday, Migration Minister Elma Saiz said Tuesday there were no indications of Moroccan involvement in the mass crossings.

Interior Minister Fernando Grande-Marlaska asked National Police Director Francisco Pardo for explanations Wednesday, including when police leadership became aware of the report.

The government said it had not received the document and urged “maximum caution” until its contents could be examined in detail.

Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez on Monday praised Morocco for its cooperation during the crisis while pointing to networks linked to Russia and Israel, alongside international far-right groups, over the spread of disinformation surrounding events in Ceuta. Russia and Israel have rejected the accusations.

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The EU has drawn a narrower distinction over Russia’s role, saying there was no conclusive evidence that foreign disinformation caused the migration crisis.

The police report has also triggered a political backlash in Spain.

Opposition leader Alberto Nunez Feijoo accused the government of covering up Morocco’s role and called for the Moroccan ambassador to be summoned and Spain’s ambassador in Rabat to be recalled for consultations.

Ceuta President Juan Jesus Vivas said Wednesday that the enclave faced a “grave danger,” describing the crossings as a deliberate and organized attack and accusing Morocco of seeking to pressure Ceuta and Melilla.

The dispute comes as Ceuta continues to deal with the aftermath of the crossings.

Sanchez said Monday that around 5,000 migrants who entered during the crisis remained in Ceuta, while Vivas has put the figure closer to 10,000. Thousands have been living in temporary shelters and makeshift camps, while protests, clashes and attacks involving migrants and residents have heightened tensions.

The government on Tuesday announced a €309 million ($357 million) package aimed at reinforcing security and public services and supporting businesses and humanitarian operations in the enclave.

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