It was unclear how many exactly had crossed the border. Spanish media estimated between 2,000 and 3,000 people entered Ceuta on Thursday, according to Reuters, but said that the Guardia Civil had not confirmed the figure.
As tensions rose, there were unconfirmed reports of clashes late on Thursday.
In Fnideq, a Moroccan town near the Ceuta border, Moroccan authorities fired water cannons at migrants in an attempt to deter them from crossing, witnesses told Reuters.
In Melilla, Spain’s second autonomous city in northern Africa, footage from local media and human rights organisations appeared to show clashes at the Beni Ansar border point.
The surge has prompted comparisons with May 2021, when around 8,000 people entered Ceuta over a matter of days, exacerbating diplomatic tensions with Morocco.
Ceuta and Melilla \represent the European Union’s only land border with Africa.
Spanish authorities have increased security around the enclaves in recent years through increased surveillance, barrier reinforcement, and improved bilateral relations with Morocco, but people continue to attempt to cross.
