Four Spanish soldiers were injured around 5:30 a.m. in Benzú, Ceuta, after a group of Moroccan migrants allegedly ambushed their vehicle and pelted them with large stones. The incident, confirmed by EL PAÍS, occurred as military personnel headed to a surveillance post in the northwest of the autonomous city. Between 30 and 40 people surrounded the vehicle and began hurling stones, causing impressive damage and forcing the soldiers to abandon the car and flee on foot.
As they fled, the soldiers continued to face projectiles and sustained various injuries. They managed to alert emergency services via 112, prompting a rapid deployment of National Police and Guardia Civil units. When the first patrols arrived, the attackers scattered toward Benzú; some tried to evade capture by entering the sea. The Guardia Civil’s maritime service was mobilized to help locate those who fled by water.
The security operation led to the detention of twelve Moroccan nationals suspected of involvement in the assault. All four injured soldiers were taken to a medical facility for treatment. The investigation remains open as authorities work to identify and apprehend the remaining participants in the attack.
Tensions ran high in Ceuta that night. Security forces also fired warning shots into the air to prevent local residents from confronting migrants on the beaches of El Trampolín and Benítez. The latest incident adds to a series of recent disturbances in the area, underscoring the ongoing difficulty of managing migration and public order. Ceuta has faced repeated surges in migrant arrivals and related unrest, including an earlier episode in which Spanish police used tear gas to disperse groups at Trampolín Beach, detailed in this report on earlier clashes.
Ceuta’s position as a Spanish enclave bordering Morocco has made it a focal point for migration into Europe. The city’s authorities and security forces remain under pressure to balance humanitarian needs with maintaining order, particularly when tensions flare between local residents and newly arrived migrants. The investigation into the Benzú attack is ongoing amid persistent security challenges in the region.
