Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said on Monday there were signs that Russian and Israeli networks helped spread disinformation about Spain’s migration policy, contributing to last month’s unprecedented surge of migrants into Ceuta.
More than 72,000 migrants crossed irregularly from Morocco into the Spanish territory between 30 and 31 July resulting in the death of at least 100 people according to local authorities.
The surge triggered alarm across the European Union and renewed tensions between Spain and Morocco. Rabat has denied accusations that it deliberately allowed the mass crossing.
Sanchez rejected claims that Moroccan authorities were involved.
“When people talk and speculate about the participation of Moroccan authorities, I deny this outright,” he told Spanish radio station SER.
Spanish authorities said misleading videos on Instagram, TikTok and other social media falsely suggested migrants reaching Ceuta by sea would be allowed to remain in Spain.
Sanchez said research by the EU’s diplomatic service, the EEAS, indicated that Russian and Israeli networks had worked alongside far-right groups to spread the claims.
He said the crisis had been used to criticise Madrid over its positions on the wars in Ukraine and Gaza, but provided no further details.
Israel’s Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar rejected the accusation, saying Sanchez was “lying shamelessly”.
The Kremlin also denied any involvement. Spokesman Dmitry Peskov rejected Spain’s claims linking Moscow to the crisis.
The EEAS had not immediately responded to requests for comment.
Around 5,000 migrants have remained in Ceuta since the border surge, fuelling protests over the government’s handling of the crisis and sporadic attacks on a makeshift migrant camp.
Police arrested three Moroccan citizens on Sunday after they allegedly threw bottles containing corrosive liquids at an army patrol, according to EFE. No one was injured.
Sanchez also announced an additional $195 million in emergency funding to support Ceuta’s economy, on top of $209 million pledged last week.
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Houthi attacks target Riyadh amid concerns over Saudi oil supplies, as Iran says it will not reopen the Strait of Hormuz until its conditions are met and U.S. commitments are implemented, parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf said on Sunday.
Saudi civil defence sent an all-clear on Saturday after issuing alerts for a second time for potential danger in Riyadh and the city of Al-Kharj east of the capital, amid an uptick in attacks by Iran-aligned Houthis on the Gulf country.
The U.S. State Department approved a $2.7 billion military sale to Ukraine for air-defence development upgrades, along with related equipment and services, the department said. Meanwhile, Ukrainian authorities reported at least 10 people had died in Russian attacks over the last 24 hours.
The death toll from an overnight Russian attack on the Kyiv region rose to four, including three children, Kyiv regional authorities said on Sunday. A mother and her two 3-year-old children were killed when a Russian drone strike hit a private home, the emergency service said.
Iran's military has threatened to launch sustained attacks on U.S. bases and interests across the Middle East if Washington resumes military action against Tehran.
Overnight Russian strikes on the city of Sumy, northeast Ukraine, have killed one woman and injured a man, the country's State Emergency Service has said.
Russian parliamentary elections are set to deliver a comfortable win to the ruling United Russia party, which is closely aligned to President Vladimir Putin. With more than 70 per cent of ballots counted, United Russia had taken 57.5 per cent of the vote.
Baku is preparing to host its 10th Formula 1 race, with the city’s streets once again set to transform into one of the most demanding circuits on the F1 calendar.
The far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) took first place in state elections in northeastern Germany on Sunday, voting projections showed, delivering the worst result for Chancellor Friedrich Merz's mainstream conservative party since 1949.
The Left Party won Sunday's Berlin state election with 25.5 per cent of the vote in the preliminary result, ahead of the Christian Democrats (CDU) on 19.1 per cent. This marks a major shift in the city's political landscape and a setback for Chancellor Friedrich Merz's ruling coalition.
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