Https, Aug. 1 -- Between 30-31 July 2026, a sudden, unprecedented humanitarian and security crisis destabilised the borders of Ceuta, an 18.5 sq km Spanish autonomous city on the North African coast. Located on the Strait of Gibraltar, directly across from mainland Spain, Ceuta - alongside its sister city Melilla - serves as the European Union's only land border with the African continent.

A sudden, massive influx occurred within this 48-hour window. Thousands of mostly young Moroccan and sub-Saharan men swam around maritime breakwaters or breached land border gates. This unexpected surge temporarily overwhelmed the border security infrastructure, which relied on just 55 Spanish border agents then on duty to secure the city frontier.

Th...