French Interior Minister Laurent Nunez announced that he would speak again on Thursday (July 31) with his Spanish counterpart, confirming that border controls would be reinforced following the mass arrival of migrants in Ceuta from Morocco. “I spoke with my Spanish counterpart yesterday, and we are expected to speak again today,” he told RTL. He also announced the activation of a “Rapid Border Intervention Force for in-depth controls.”
France: “We will take action if there are movements toward national territory”
The minister noted that he had “since Thursday evening, already given instructions to reinforce border controls with Spain without waiting.” “We have controls at the Franco-Spanish border — they exist and have in fact been strengthened over recent months,” he told RTL.
“We have a mobile force that is permanently present. We will obviously take measures if there are movements toward national territory. In any case, we will clearly reinforce border controls,” he continued.
Scenes of chaos in Ceuta
Scenes of chaos unfolded at Spain’s borders on Thursday (July 30), following the mass crossing of thousands of migrants from Morocco into Ceuta. Spanish authorities mobilized the military, security measures were significantly reinforced, and the death toll continued to rise. Meanwhile, the migrant surge sparked a diplomatic row between Madrid and Rome, with Spanish Foreign Minister José Luis Albares condemning what he called the “demagoguery” of the Italian government.
Ceuta, the Spanish enclave in northern Africa, is facing its most severe migration pressure in years, as more than 1,500 people managed to cross from Morocco in recent days, with the largest single influx recorded on Thursday.
According to the latest figures reported by El País, at least 18 people lost their lives in the attempt to reach Spanish territory. The Spanish government has deployed military forces to bolster security measures, while the new crisis has triggered intense political and diplomatic tensions between Spain and Italy.
