Spain returns 21 migrants to Morocco after stone-throwing incident in Ceuta

Incident at Trampolin beach

Spanish authorities returned 21 migrants to Morocco on Sunday following an altercation near the border in the North African enclave of Ceuta. The event occurred on Saturday night at Trampolin beach, a location where groups of migrants have gathered while living on local streets. According to sources within the Spanish Civil Guard, members of a military patrol reported coming under stone-throwing attacks from individuals on the beach. Civil Guard officers intervened immediately to identify the individuals involved in the incident. Officials stated that the 21 identified individuals subsequently agreed to return voluntarily across the Moroccan border. The Civil Guard confirmed that the encounter concluded without injuries to personnel or physical damage to military equipment.

Overcrowding in the North African enclave

The confrontation follows an influx late in July 2026, when approximately 70,000 people crossed into Ceuta from Morocco over several days. While the majority of those who entered the enclave left shortly after arrival, thousands continue to reside in public spaces across the territory. Ceuta covers an area of 18.5 square kilometres and maintains a permanent population of roughly 80,000 residents. Discrepancies persist regarding the exact number of individuals currently in the city, with central government estimates standing at 5,000 while local officials report up to 10,000 people remaining.

Tensions have recurred across the enclave during recent weeks, including several previous instances of stone throwing aimed at military patrols that led to earlier expulsions. Public demonstrations organised by local residents demanding the immediate departure of the migrants have also produced clashes with police units.

Conflict between Madrid and local leadership

Management of the situation has generated sharp political division between the central government in Madrid and the local administration of Ceuta. On Saturday, the central government decided to assume administrative control of Ceuta's port after municipal authorities refused to permit the installation of temporary accommodation facilities. Ceuta's local government is led by the conservative Popular Party, which stands in parliamentary opposition to the national administration. Right-wing and far-right political parties in Madrid have consistently criticised the central government for its handling of the border crisis and the pace of repatriations.

Expedited returns and temporary infrastructure

Spanish Minister of Territorial Policy Angel Víctor Torres addressed the dispute during a broadcast on public television on Sunday, defending the decision to deploy temporary shelters at the port. Torres sought to reassure local residents that the structures would not become permanent housing for those awaiting processing.

These are shelters that will be dismantled, and are therefore not intended for [the migrants] to stay in Ceuta.

Torres stated that establishing administrative facilities is necessary to register and process individuals currently without shelter across the city. The central government maintains that faster administrative processing remains central to resolving the situation at the border.

The sooner we identify them, the sooner they can be sent back.