The Spanish Ministry of Defence on 1 September 2026 adjusted the Rules on the use of weapons of the forces deployed in Ceuta . In future, one member of each Patrol may carry their service weapon loaded for personal self-defence. The order follows several violent incidents in the North African exclave on the border with Morocco, including attacks with Molotov cocktails and a series of arrests in recent days.
The Asociación de Tropa y Marinería Española (ATME) confirmed the directive and strongly criticised the tight restriction. “It’s ridiculous – as if, in a group of five street cleaners, only one of them had a broom,” said ATME president Marco Antonio Gómez. According to the association, soldiers had previously sometimes been deployed outside the base unarmed or without live ammunition. ATME is calling for clearer legal protection and standardised equipment for patrols.
According to media reports, the Ministry of Defence says the measure is intended to protect deployed forces and prevent escalation. The order does not change the fundamental division of responsibilities: policing powers such as identity checks or arrests remain with Policía Nacional and Guardia Civil. Soldiers are not police officers; their duties in Ceuta include maintaining a presence, deterrence and supporting the civilian security forces.
The new requirement raises operational and legal questions. Critics argue that the uneven arming of members of a patrol could make responsibilities unclear in an incident and create tactical disadvantages if only one person has live ammunition. Supporters argue that the model minimises risks to bystanders and preserves the separation between military and police powers.
The decision comes against a tense security backdrop since August, when groups of soldiers in Ceuta were repeatedly attacked. The interior and defence ministries had already cancelled leave and stepped up coordination on the ground. It initially remained unclear whether the newly adopted rules on the use of weapons would be temporary or made permanent in an adjusted form. What matters will be how cooperation between the Ministry of Defence, the Ministry of the Interior and the authorities in Ceuta is further specified – and whether additional safeguards or procedures will be introduced for situations involving both police and military personnel.
Editor: Mira Cadena (Article created with AI assistance).