Police in the Spanish territory of Ceuta began an operation early Friday to transfer migrants who have been living on beaches to a newly established tented site in the port area. The camp has capacity for 1,700 people, according to reports.
More than 3,000 migrants were being relocated in the operation, which began at about 07:00 local time (05:00 GMT), according to Spanish government-owned news agency Efe. Over 170 police officers were deployed, including drone technicians.
During the transfer, officers struggled to contain crowds of people jostling to secure a place at the site after weeks of exposure on the beaches. Some migrants broke through the police cordon along the designated 2km route to the port. Shots could be heard, with reports that police fired into the air. Video footage showed young men running in darkness as authorities attempted to maintain control. Efe reported that the situation was later "brought under control quickly" and the operation continued.
Most of the 72,000 migrants who breached the border from Morocco in July have since returned, but it is believed that more than 13,000 remain in the enclave. The relocation is part of the Spanish government's strategy to concentrate migrants in facilities where they can be identified and receive care while their administrative status is individually determined.