Spanish security forces launched an operation on October 4, 2026, to clear a large migrant camp on El Trampolín beach in Ceuta. The sweep involves hundreds of personnel, armored vehicles, and voluntary returns ahead of an upcoming visit by King Felipe VI and Queen Letizia.
Spanish riot police and military units initiated Operation Trampolín on Sunday, October 4, 2026, targeting a sprawling informal settlement on El Trampolín beach in the North African enclave of Ceuta. Authorities estimate that roughly 3,000 migrants had been living in makeshift shelters constructed from wooden planks and tarps since a mass influx from neighboring Morocco in late July.
The Spanish security forces launched the operation with riot police belonging to the UIP (Unidad de Intervención Policial) who arrived from Seville, Granada, Málaga, and other areas of the country. A drone monitored the operations from the air while a National Police van arrived first, shortly after 7:30 a.m., followed by the main deployment just before 8:00 a.m. El Faro de Ceuta noted that two BMR armored vehicles and one Vamtac S3 all-terrain vehicle reinforced the local security apparatus. The local police closed roads from around 7:30 a.m. on the routes connecting Benítez and Benzú, while continuing to seal off access to the beach and halting automobile circulation in the sector on Monday. Officers from the UPV (Unidad de Prevención y Reacción) also participated, moving from tent to tent and shack to shack to notify occupants, while an interpreter explained the transfer locations in Arabic.
The first bus departed shortly before 9:00 a.m. according to Radio Televisión Ceuta. Evacuees were given the option to register at the CATE or return directly to their home countries, much like several individuals evacuated from Benítez earlier in the week. Meanwhile, unaccompanied minors present on the beach were taken to the police station for registration and placement in reception centers, as minors cannot be expelled under the law. This intervention marks the third operation of its kind in recent weeks, following two previous clearings carried out at Benítez.
Security Forces Deploy Armored Units and Block Roads Around El Trampolín Beach
Local police restricted traffic on the roadways connecting Benítez and Benzú beginning at 7:30 a.m. on Sunday, ahead of the deployment of anti-riot units from Seville, Granada, Málaga, and other regions. Security measures expanded with two BMR armored vehicles and a Vamtac S3 all-terrain vehicle reinforcing the perimeter. Officers moved systematically through the settlement to inform occupants of the evacuation while dismantling shelters as light rain began to fall.
Official reports cited the impossibility of guaranteeing public security on the site, due to a multiplication of altercations and violent incidents, as immediate catalysts for the clearance. National Police personnel led the operation alongside approximately 350 officers, military support, and local aid workers from the Red Cross, who had previously provided daily food supplies to the site.
Hundreds of Migrants Choose Voluntary Return as Processing Begins
Evacuees faced a choice between registering at the Temporary Detention Center for Foreigners (CATE) located on-site for potential placement in government facilities or returning to Morocco without formal registration. By Sunday afternoon, approximately 600 Moroccan nationals had opted to cross back voluntarily rather than enter the processing system.
Meanwhile, unaccompanied minors were taken to police stations and transferred to youth reception centers, shielding them from expulsion under minor protection laws.
Royal Visit Proximity and Political Pressures Shape the Timeline
The coastal sweep marks the third major clearance operation in Ceuta following two prior clearings on Benítez beaches. The Spanish government has set October 15, 2026, as the deadline to conclude all enclave evacuations. That timeline places the final clearance just two days after King Felipe VI and Queen Letizia arrive in Ceuta and Melilla on October 13 and 14.
If King Felipe VI visits the occupied presidios of Sebta and Melilla, we, the Moroccans, will shed up to the last drop of blood to defend our territorial integrity in northern Morocco.
The upcoming royal tour represents the first visit by a reigning Spanish monarch to the enclaves since King Juan Carlos I traveled there in November 2007, a trip that prompted lasting diplomatic friction with Rabat.