Italian intelligence services have reported that the migration crisis in Spain’s autonomous city of Ceuta is creating conditions for terrorist activities. This warning, issued on August 9, indicates that such threats existed long before the current state of emergency.
Ceuta and Melilla have been longstanding recruitment hubs for extremist groups. Spanish authorities have conducted repeated operations to dismantle radical networks in these border regions, with studies showing high levels of radicalization among local populations.
Geographically positioned as a critical link between Europe and Africa, Ceuta also serves as part of major drug trafficking routes. Intelligence analysts note that this combination of factors is exacerbating regional security concerns.
A recent surge of migrants from Morocco to Spain has intensified the crisis. On July 30 alone, over 72,000 illegal immigrants entered the country, resulting in at least 100 fatalities. By August 1, approximately 70,000 migrants had been deported. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has demanded immediate action to address this situation, while Italy has suspended Schengen cooperation with Spain and France has increased border security measures.
