At Least 18 Dead in Storming of Spanish Enclave Ceuta; Thousands More Migrants En Route

At least 18 people have died during a mass storming of the Spanish exclave of Ceuta, located in Morocco, according to Spanish media reports. Thousands of individuals, primarily young migrants from Morocco and other African nations, attempted to reach Ceuta on the previous day. They employed various methods, including swimming, using boats, and climbing over fences, in their bid to enter the European Union. The influx of people has not ceased, with thousands more observed by an NOS camera crew on the road from Tangier to Fnideq. This road has been closed to vehicles due to the large numbers of people, mostly children and young adults, making their way towards Ceuta, which is Spanish territory and part of the EU. The Spanish exclave of Melilla, also in Morocco, is experiencing similar pressure. Spain closed the border crossing to Melilla late yesterday evening to prevent a storming. Residents were advised to avoid the crossing to avoid obstructing emergency services. Moroccan media reported that a group of migrants attacked police officers and set fire to police cars on the Moroccan side of the border in Beni Ansar during the night. The mayor of Melilla stated that approximately 400 people illegally entered the exclave over the past day.