Clashes erupted for a second consecutive day at the border between Morocco and Spain's North African enclave of Ceuta on Thursday, as officials estimated that roughly 49,000 migrants crossed into the territory over the prior 24 hours.
The scale of the crossing is among the largest seen at that border in recent years. Security was heightened on both sides of the fence as the situation continued into its second day, according to Al Jazeera.
Spanish Prime Minister Andy Burnham traveled to Ceuta in response to the crisis, according to the New York Times. The enclave, which is surrounded by Moroccan territory and sits on the northern tip of Africa, has long been a focal point for migrants attempting to reach European soil.
The crossings and border clashes came as European countries have continued to grapple with large-scale migration from Africa and the Middle East. Ceuta, along with the nearby enclave of Melilla, represents one of the only land borders between Africa and the European Union.
No further details about casualties, nationalities of those crossing, or the Spanish government's immediate response measures were available from the sources at the time of publication. The situation remained active as of Thursday.
