Police clear Ceuta migrants off beaches in Spanish enclave

Spanish police have started clearing thousands of migrants from the beaches of Ceuta, an enclave on North Africa’s coast which saw a surge of arrivals from neighbouring Morocco in July. Riot police ‌fired rubber bullets into the air and struck people with batons on Friday ⁠as they began ⁠an operation, which started shortly before 7am local time (05:00 GMT). More than 72,000 people surged into the 18.5 square kilometre (7.2sq mile) enclave at the end of July in an unprecedented border ⁠rush, although most later left. Spain estimates 10,000 migrants remain in the tiny territory. The authorities have built new temporary housing inside Ceuta’s port to hold 1,700 people. NGOs say thousands remain unhoused and have been sleeping rough in camps.