Spain’s spy agency warned of plans to storm Ceuta before mass migrant crossing

Spain's national intelligence agency, the CNI, reportedly issued multiple warnings in late July 2026 regarding an impending mass influx of migrants into the Spanish enclave of Ceuta. Declassified documents, released by the government on September 9, 2026, reveal that these warnings were communicated to both Spain's government delegation in Ceuta and Moroccan intelligence services. One such alert, sent via WhatsApp on July 29, specifically detailed social media calls for a coordinated "assault on the fence and by sea" planned for July 30, coinciding with Morocco's Throne Day. The CNI noted that two social media groups promoting these crossings had a combined following of 180,000, indicating a potentially large-scale event.

Despite these intelligence reports, a significant surge occurred between July 30 and 31, with over 70,000 migrants entering Ceuta, overwhelming local facilities and prompting a humanitarian crisis. However, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez and Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Albares have maintained that the intelligence documents did not adequately convey the immense scale the crossings ultimately reached. The release of these files has intensified scrutiny over the government's preparedness and the operational decisions made in the hours leading up to the mass arrival.