Spain has begun deploying troops along its southern coast after a large group of migrants attempted to cross from Morocco, with at least three migrants reportedly drowning during the attempt, according to Israeli media reports.
Spain has deployed military forces along its southern coastline this morning, following a mass attempt by migrants to cross from Morocco. At least three migrants drowned during the crossing, according to Israeli media reports. The deployment comes roughly two hours after earlier reports of a migrant surge at the Spanish enclave of Ceuta, where a separate incident led to 18 deaths.
Earlier today (Fri 09:32 Jerusalem), initial reports cited by Israeli media said 18 people were killed in an infiltration attempt into Ceuta from Morocco. Shortly afterward, police reported that thousands of migrants had crossed into the enclave overnight, and later confirmed that 18 migrants died in the attempt. The confirmation marked an escalation in source credibility from unverified reports to on-record police statements.
The broader migration pressure on Spain has drawn international attention. As The Zioneer reported on Friday, tech entrepreneur Elon Musk commented that illegal immigration could 'destroy' Spain's budget, citing footage of large numbers of migrants entering Spanish territory from Morocco.
The exact number of migrants involved in the latest crossing attempt, the location of the drownings, and whether the incident is connected to the earlier Ceuta events remain unclear. The circumstances of the three drownings are still under investigation.
6 developments
- DevelopingAbu Ali Express: Spanish police, soldiers not intervening in Ceuta as migrants mock authorities
- DevelopingMigrants throw stones at Spanish police patrol cars, reports say
- DevelopingVideos show Spain border gate still open, migrants flowing, bodies on ground
- DevelopingFormer Spanish police official claims Spain plans to regularize up to 6 million illegal immigrants
Source and signal
- Open-source intake