The Explainer
The Explainer
6 Aug 2026
How did 72,000 people cross into Ceuta?
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More than 70,000 people crossed from Morocco into Ceuta last week, overwhelming the small Spanish territory on the North African coast. Dozens died, while thousands remain, and questions are mounting about the online rumours that fuelled the rush and Morocco’s role in the breakdown of border controls.


How did it happen, why does Spain have territory in Africa, and what does the crisis mean for Europe’s borders? We're joined by Eoghan Gilmartin a freelance journalist based in Madrid.