Spanish soldiers filmed assaulting migrants in Ceuta

Spanish soldiers have been filmed beating migrants in the country’s North African enclave of Ceuta, according to videos released and verified by a local news outlet, amid a major migration crisis gripping the region.

Since late July, Ceuta has been dealing with a migration crisis, after more than 72,000 people crossed over from Morocco. Although most were subsequently returned, thousands remained in the territory, many living in makeshift camps along the beaches, prompting local residents to stage demonstrations and call on the government to take action to address the situation.

The footage, released by El Diario on Friday, shows soldiers pursuing and assaulting migrants in several parts of Ceuta. In one video, a migrant is chased and beaten by several soldiers after they catch up with him. One shows two soldiers beating a migrant, and another shows soldiers striking migrants with batons and forcing them into a roadside ditch.

The news outlet also cited local residents who said they had seen or received other videos of military beatings. One resident described a Moroccan migrant who had his hair cut off by soldiers; others said the migrants should be removed if necessary but condemned the use of force.

Last week, El Diario reported testimonies from around 20 migrants who claimed that Spanish soldiers assaulted and mistreated them, prompting the government to announce an internal investigation. The authorities have not independently confirmed the alleged incidents.

The Spanish government has condemned the assaults shown in the videos and reiterated its intention to launch an internal investigation into the allegations, the prime minister’s office told the publication.

The Defense Ministry reportedly declined to answer the news outlet’s questions about the specific incidents.

Local media outlets reported earlier this week that the ministry ordered military personnel deployed in the exclave to remove their names from their uniforms to “avoid further threats.” It reportedly began issuing pepper spray to soldiers in Ceuta as a self-defense measure, with use strictly limited to cases of aggression, violent resistance, and protection of military facilities.