Twelve migrants have been arrested for allegedly attacking a military vehicle with rocks before pursuing and injuring four Spanish soldiers in Ceuta.

The violent disturbances took place at around 5am Thursday in the Benzu neighbourhood of the Spanish enclave, amid mounting tensions following the migrant crisis that erupted at the end of July.

According to reports citing the Jefatura Superior de Policia, a group of migrants began throwing stones at a vehicle carrying four soldiers as they travelled towards their surveillance post.

The military vehicle was not armoured and its windows were smashed during the attack.

The four soldiers reportedly got out of the vehicle, at which point the group continued to pursue them and throw stones.

All four servicemen suffered injuries, including wounds to their arms and backs, and were subsequently taken to a medical centre for treatment.

Riot police deployed

A call was made to the 112 emergency service and units from both the Policia Nacional and Guardia Civil were deployed to assist the soldiers.

The group involved in the disturbances has been estimated at between 35 and 40 people.

When riot police arrived, those involved dispersed, with some jumping into the sea in an attempt to escape.

The Guardia Civil’s Maritime Service has been involved in the subsequent search operation.

The Union de Militares de Tropa (UMT) has reacted furiously to the incident, describing what happened as an ‘ambush’ and demanding immediate action from the Ministry of Defence.

The military association expressed its ‘strong condemnation and indignation at the ambush suffered by military personnel deployed in Ceuta, who were stoned and violently assaulted while carrying out their mission’.

It claimed troops were operating in an unacceptable state of ‘operational and legal helplessness’, arguing that they lacked sufficiently clear rules governing how they should respond to violent attacks.

‘The inaction of the Ministry of Defence and the lack of foresight have resulted in an incident that could and should have been avoided,’ the UMT said.

It claimed soldiers were being denied adequate means of self-protection and the legal safeguards necessary to respond to serious aggression.

The organisation is now demanding an ‘immediate and urgent’ review of security protocols and the legal framework governing troops deployed in Ceuta.

Ceuta government calls for calm

The Government of Ceuta has meanwhile appealed for calm amid fears that the incident could further inflame tensions in the city.

Second vice-president Kissy Chandiramani confirmed that an ‘incident’ involving migrants and military personnel had been reported in Benzu at around 5am.

Officials have urged residents not to escalate tensions as authorities continue dealing with the consequences of the extraordinary migrant influx at the end of July.