Spain deploys military after thousands of migrants enter Ceuta

Shouts of long live Spain rise from the mass of migrants streaming into the Spanish enclave of Ceuta.Starting on the Moroccan side a few kilometers away, waves of people wind their way up cliffs along the shoreline, then swim across, some at sea for hours, many just kids.Climbing the rocks around this fence, they rush the border and run through the streets, cheering as police look on.

It's been a very tough experience to go from the ocean.It was very tough.The police officers tried to stop us, but our will and our determination, we could come here.

Over the past week, thousands of migrants have made the dangerous journey.At least nine have died trying.Migrant centers are overwhelmed, leaving hundreds sleeping in the streets.Spain is now deploying the military to help.Ceuta is a coastal city in North Africa, belonging to Spain since the 16th century.In recent decades, it's become a flashpoint for migrants from across Africa, funneling through neighboring Morocco as a gateway to try to reach Europe.

I understand why, says this migrant already living in Spain.They're told there's a future here, that there are jobs, he says.Five years ago, Ceuta was overwhelmed with nearly 10 ,000 migrants in a matter of days.It's unclear what's driving this latest surge, though Ceuta authorities have suggested it's linked to a Spanish Supreme Court decision earlier this month.It ruled migrants who arrive by sea cannot be immediately pushed back across the border without due process.But some advocates dismissed that, saying many migrants wouldn't have known.

Regardless of the reason, it's a risk these people are willing to take in this moment, their relation eclipsing the uncertainty.Tanya Fletcher, CBC News, Vancouver.