In Ceuta the attempt to clear the makeshift camps on the beaches of El Trampolín and Playa Benítez was only partly successful on 18 September. According to the Delegación del Gobierno around 1,700 people were moved in the morning to a temporary reception camp on the grounds of the Muelle de Poniente . However, the beaches remained heavily occupied in the afternoon; many people returned after the transfer or stayed there because the facilities did not have enough capacity.
The operation was accompanied by Policía Nacional and Guardia Civil . Several media outlets reported tense situations and crowding during the transfer. According to consistent reports, officers fired warning shots into the air to disperse crowds. The authorities said the measure was intended to ensure orderly registration, initial medical care and accommodation for those present.
Legally, the way had only recently been cleared for the use of the port areas. The Audiencia Nacional rejected an announced urgent application against the operation of the temporary facilities at the Muelle de Poniente. This meant the Spanish Government Delegation could begin the transfer as planned.
Estimates differed in the afternoon over how many people remained in the urban area and along the coast. Local newsrooms and observers spoke of hundreds to several thousand people who had not made it into the camp or had returned to the beaches after a short time. Official sources pointed out that the counts were subject to ongoing screening and registration processes and could be adjusted at short notice.
The operation is part of the response to the migration situation in Ceuta, which has continued since the end of July. The central government and the city administration are seeking additional accommodation capacity and a reliable record of arrivals. Aid organisations and local representatives point to the precarious provision of services on the ground and logistical bottlenecks at the temporary camp, which limit the effectiveness of individual clearance operations.
Politically, the stalled process is increasing pressure to find sustainable solutions beyond short-term measures. These include prompt registration, reliable accommodation, medical care and—where legally possible—returns following border crossings. The authorities announced that they would expand operations at the Muelle de Poniente and deepen coordination between the central government and the autonomous city of Ceuta. Concrete, consolidated figures for the numbers transferred, returned and remaining were still unavailable that evening.
Editor: Mira Cadena (Article created with AI assistance).