Madrid to declassify secret reports on Ceuta migration crisis

Spain’s Council of Ministers is set to approve the declassification of National Intelligence Centre reports related to the migration crisis in the autonomous city of Ceuta.

The documents, which comprise around 40 reports produced by intelligence and security agencies, are expected to be released as a dossier on September 9 and cover the period from July 1 to August 1, Caliber.Az reports, citing Spanish media.

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez had previously assured that the government had not received intelligence from the centre that would have indicated the scale of the crisis that later unfolded in Ceuta.

In late July 2026, tens of thousands of migrants—estimates ranging from about 50,000 to over 70,000—crossed from Morocco into the Spanish North African enclave of Ceuta over a short period, primarily by swimming around sea barriers or climbing border fences, creating chaos in the city of roughly 80,000–85,000 residents.

At least several dozen people died during the crossings, mostly from drowning or in stampedes, while the majority of arrivals returned to Morocco within days, either voluntarily or through pushbacks by Spanish forces.

The scale of the influx has also triggered an investigation into whether Moroccan security forces facilitated the crossings. A Spanish police intelligence report alleged that Moroccan officers showed unusual passivity and, in some cases, directed migrants toward entry points. However, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez has said there is no concrete evidence that the Moroccan government orchestrated the operation.

By Jeyhun Aghazada