The scale of the arrivals has placed Spain under pressure and triggered responses across Europe. The Spanish government has deployed military units and police reinforcements to Ceuta, while Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez travelled to the enclave on Friday alongside Interior Minister Fernando Grande-Marlaska to meet security officials and regional authorities.
Ceuta, together with the Spanish enclave of Melilla, forms the European Union's only land border with Africa. The city has about 85,000 residents. The latest arrivals amount to more than half of its population.
Spanish officials said the largest wave entered on Thursday. Video footage from the border showed hundreds of people swimming towards the coast, many using inflatable rings, while others climbed or forced their way through sections of the frontier fence.
Moroccan authorities also reinforced security on their side of the border. Reuters reported that police deployed water cannon to push crowds back from crossing points. Burnt vehicles, including a bus, remained at the scene after clashes between security forces and groups attempting to reach the border.
The Spanish government said military personnel had joined local police to restore control. Border surveillance has also been strengthened along the frontier.
