Spanish police launched an operation on Friday morning to move migrants gathered on the beaches of Ceuta into a temporary tented reception site, local reports said. Authorities were reported to have fired shots into the air as they sought to control large groups of people pushing to secure places at the camp.
Ceuta, a small Spanish enclave on Morocco's Mediterranean coast, is a recurring arrival point for migrants attempting to reach European territory. Tented sites have been used in recent years as short-term shelters and processing centres when arrivals exceed the capacity of permanent facilities.
Reports indicate that officers faced difficulties containing crowds as people vied to be admitted to the shelters, prompting the firing of warning shots. Details about any injuries, arrests, or the exact scale of the operation were not immediately clear from initial accounts.
The movement of people from beaches to organised reception areas is typically carried out to provide shelter and to begin registration, health screening and other procedures. The situation in Ceuta remained fluid on Friday as authorities continued the operation and information about its progress was awaited.