ALGECIRAS, Spain, Aug. 16 (Xinhua) -- Heightened security measures on both sides of the Spanish-Moroccan border helped avert a repeat of the mass border crossing into Spain's North African enclave of Ceuta feared on Aug. 15.
More than two weeks after tens of thousands of people entered Ceuta from Morocco, around 5,000 remain in the enclave, according to Spain's Interior Ministry. The crisis has also prompted reciprocal border checks between Spain and Italy, while reigniting debate over migration and the principle of free movement within the Schengen area.
CALM BUILT ON TWO-SIDED DEPLOYMENT
Calls had circulated on social media urging migrants to make another collective attempt to reach Ceuta on Aug. 15.
In response, Spain sent more than 500 additional National Police and Civil Guard officers from the mainland, increasing the number of law enforcement personnel in Ceuta to around 1,600. Some 2,000 military personnel stationed in the enclave were placed on standby, with some leave cancelled.
Border enforcement remained the responsibility of the National Police and Civil Guard, while military units provided patrol, logistical and public-order support. Civil Guard officers were seen patrolling near the Tarajal border crossing, where security was visibly reinforced.
On the Moroccan side, security forces established multiple layers of controls in Fnideq, known in Spanish as Castillejos, as well as in surrounding mountains, coastal areas and on roads leading north from Tangier and Tetouan. Drones and helicopters were also used to search for people attempting to approach the border.
Moroccan authorities said 294 people were intercepted on Aug. 15, including 248 from sub-Saharan African countries and 46 Moroccan nationals. Another 61 people were arrested on suspicion of using social media to encourage irregular migration. Most of those intercepted were subsequently transported to cities farther from Morocco's northern border.
THOUSANDS REMAIN IN CEUTA
On July 30-31, around 80,000 people entered Ceuta from Morocco, many by swimming around the breakwater marking the Tarajal border. Most returned to Morocco in the following days.
The non-governmental organization Caminando Fronteras said the death toll from the crisis had risen over 140. Spanish Interior Minister Fernando Grande-Marlaska said earlier this week that around 5,000 people still remained in Ceuta.
The enclave's reception system has been placed under severe pressure. Limited formal accommodation has been prioritized for minors and women. At a youth assistance center, staff from the international medical organization Medicos del Mundo were providing services, while an official ambulance was stationed outside an accommodation site for women and girls.
Many adult men continue to sleep on beaches, in streets and in makeshift shelters. At Trampolin Beach, close to the Moroccan border, there are at least 80 shelters, with more still under construction.
Spanish Health Minister Monica Garcia visited Ceuta on Sunday and acknowledged that the health system has been under considerable strain, while rejecting claims that it has collapsed. According to the Health Ministry, the National Institute for Health Management and the Red Cross together provided more than 8,300 instances of medical care between July 31 and Aug. 14, with daily demand falling 72 percent from its July 31 peak.
Garcia said no scheduled consultations or operations had been suspended. She identified the unsanitary conditions in makeshift settlements as the main remaining health concern, citing the need to improve access to clean water, hygiene, sanitation and accommodation. A specialist from Spain's Coordination Center for Health Alerts and Emergencies is due to arrive in Ceuta on Monday to help local authorities assess and reduce public health risks.
Ceuta is Spanish territory but operates under a special border regime. Entering the enclave does not automatically allow a person to travel onward to mainland Spain.
Spanish Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Albares has said that those who entered irregularly and have no legal right to remain will be returned to Morocco. The process requires identification, the assessment of asylum claims and special procedures for minors and other vulnerable people.
CRISIS SPILLS INTO SCHENGEN AREA
The impact of the Ceuta crisis has extended beyond Spain's southern border.
Italy reintroduced temporary checks on air and sea arrivals from Spain on Aug. 1, focusing primarily on third-country nationals and citing the risk that they could move onward from Spain to other Schengen countries, as well as potential security concerns. Spain responded by introducing reciprocal checks on arrivals from Italy on Aug. 8.
According to notifications submitted to the European Commission, Italy's controls are scheduled to remain in force until Sept. 1, while Spain's measures are due to expire on Sept. 7.
Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani said on Saturday that any decision to lift the controls would depend on whether the earlier warnings were substantiated and how the situation developed. Italian Interior Minister Matteo Piantedosi said the checks had so far led to three arrests and the refusal of entry to 21 third-country nationals, including six Moroccans.
The European Commission has held talks with both governments, stressing that mutual trust among member states is essential to the functioning of the Schengen area. It has also sent migration experts to Ceuta to assess conditions and Spain's needs, with attention focused on external border management and returns.
