The Navy has reinforced its deployment in Ceuta with the arrival of the frigates Santa María and Navarra, which are already operating in the southern bay of the city as part of the extraordinary device activated by the Ministry of Defense to address the migration crisis triggered after the massive entry recorded last week. Likewise, the security forces will strengthen their presence in the autonomous city with the deployment in the coming hours of new agents from the Police Intervention Unit (UIP), the riot police, made up of 45 officers, according to the Ministry of the Interior this Friday.
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Precisely, these reinforcements come after the numerous messages circulating in recent days on Moroccan social networks calling for a new massive entry into Ceuta on August 15, which would follow the one a week ago, when tens of thousands of people crossed the border from Morocco into Ceuta. Social networks such as Facebook, Instagram, or TikTok have again been filled with messages with slogans like 15/08 or “al-hajma” (the offensive, the charge), with the border town of Fnideq (Castillejos) as the starting point, messages that the Spanish security forces are studying.
The two frigates join the Maritime Action Ship (BAM) Rayo, deployed last Monday, and the logistic support ship that docked this Thursday in the port of Ceuta to reinforce the capabilities of the military units stationed in the autonomous city.
The new deployment aims to increase surveillance of the maritime environment of Ceuta and support the forces of the General Command (COMGECEU), whose operational load has intensified in recent days due to migratory pressure.
The arrival of new naval assets comes after the Spanish Troop and Navy Association (ATME) publicly demanded the Ministry of Defense send reinforcements of personnel and logistical capabilities to relieve the pressure on the units deployed in Ceuta.
The reinforcement of the 45 agents adds to those already sent by the National Police to Ceuta since July 30. Thus, on that same day, three UIP teams from Seville joined, followed in subsequent days by teams from the Central UIP and the Málaga unit until a total of 225 personnel dedicated to citizen security tasks in Ceuta was reached.
The General Commissariat of Immigration and Borders deployed a team of 6 specialists to support registration and documentation tasks, while the Information unit sent a team of another 6 agents.
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In addition, an extraordinary services mechanism (with complementary economic remuneration) has been activated, allowing members of the UIP and the Prevention and Reaction Unit (UPR) based in Ceuta to voluntarily extend their working hours, which has enabled a greater presence of the National Police on the streets of the Autonomous City of Ceuta, Interior assures.
For its part, the Civil Guard maintains the various reinforcements its contingent in Ceuta has received since July 30.
Thus, the Reserve and Security Group (ARS) of Ceuta, dedicated to border surveillance, has been reinforced with three platoons (60 agents in total), while the citizen security unit of the autonomous city has 160 more civil guards from different units in Andalusia and the collaboration of 2,000 members of the Armed Forces stationed in Ceuta.
Two groups of divers (8 personnel) from the Special Group of Underwater Activities (GEAS) of Andalusia have joined the unit based in Ceuta.
To the Maritime Service boats stationed in Ceuta (2 medium and 4 zodiac type) was added on Friday, July 31, the ship Duque de Ahumada, with a crew of 12 civil guards. In addition, 5 boat skippers, 3 mechanic-sailors, and drone pilots joined.
The Civil Guard Air Service in Ceuta has been reinforced with a helicopter and this weekend a drone group will join.
