Ceuta migrant crisis: Macron says France ready to help

French President Emmanuel Macron is ready to provide support to Spain as it deals with a migrant crisis linked to crossings into Ceuta, an aide said, after France increased checks at its border with Spain.

French Interior Minister Laurent Nunez earlier said France was immediately increasing checks at the Spanish border after thousands of migrants crossed from Morocco into Spain's north African enclave of Ceuta.

Nunez said on X that he had ordered stepped-up controls at the border on Thursday night. He also announced the activation of a rapid intervention border force for in-depth inspections.

Speaking to broadcaster RTL, Nunez said he had spoken with his Spanish counterpart and would do so again Friday. He said controls at the French-Spanish border already existed and had been reinforced in recent months.

Nunez said France had a mobile force permanently deployed and would take measures if there were movements toward French territory.

A police source said thousands of migrants crossed overnight from Morocco into Ceuta on Friday. The source said around 40,000 migrants had crossed into the territory in recent days. Ceuta has a population of about 80,000.