The Sebta Crisis: Why Did 60,000 Migrants Rush to the Spanish Border?

The sudden influx of over 60,000 migrants from Morocco to the Spanish autonomous city of Sebta within 24 hours has triggered a political and diplomatic crisis in Europe. The Sebta crisis, in light of the court decision, Morocco's pressure, the Algerian factor, and the tension with Washington, has raised questions about the real nature of the event and the deep divisions within the Western world.Sebta, along with Melilla, is one of the two autonomous cities of Spain located on the northern coast of Morocco. These two regions form the only land borders of the European Union in Africa. Morocco claims that Sebta and Melilla are part of its territorial sovereignty, while the Spanish government considers them to be an integral part of Spain since 1580 and 1497, respectively.The exact trigger for the massive migration movement in Sebta is unclear. However, various assessments have been made about the background of the incident. Spanish authorities argue that the recent court decision was exploited by human trafficking networks, which encouraged the massive crossing. Some commentators suggest that Morocco deliberately relaxed border controls to exert pressure on the Spanish government.The large scale of the migrant influx and the lack of significant intervention by the Moroccan side in the initial stages have raised allegations that the Rabat administration deliberately loosened border controls to pressure Madrid. This situation has been compared by many to a similar incident in 2021.The expression

Wow, the situation in Spain looks crazy!

has been criticized regarding the migrant crisis.The Sebta crisis has brought to the fore not only discussions about European border security and migration policies but also AB-Morocco relations, Spain's foreign policy, and the geopolitical divisions within the Western world.