Moroccan authorities apprehended over 111 individuals on Saturday as they attempted to enter Spain’s North African enclave of Ceuta, amid heightened security measures on both sides of the border following social media calls for another large-scale migrant crossing.
This incident occurred two weeks after more than 72,000 migrants flooded into Ceuta, causing friction within the European Union and fueling anti-immigrant sentiments among far-right groups globally. Tragically, at least 96 people lost their lives during the attempt to reach European territory.
A source within Morocco’s Interior Ministry informed Reuters that those detained included 109 migrants from sub-Saharan Africa and two Moroccan nationals apprehended in or near Fnideq, the city in Morocco opposite Ceuta.
Reports from Spanish news agency EFE indicated that Moroccan police utilized tear gas to disperse migrant groups gathered on hills approximately three kilometers from the border. Subsequently, Reuters observed a significant number of police officers, some in riot gear and others in plain clothes, returning from the hills outside Fnideq.
EFE and Spanish state broadcaster TVE disclosed that Morocco’s Interior Ministry instructed their journalists to vacate Fnideq immediately, without providing a reason.
In Ceuta, Spanish soldiers stood guard at supermarkets while police maintained a heavy presence on the enclave’s main streets. The atmosphere in the city was comparatively calmer following the tumultuous events of July 30.
To restore order and prevent future incidents, Madrid has erected a maritime barrier and bolstered security with over 500 additional police officers dispatched from mainland Spain, bringing the total presence in Ceuta to more than 1,600. The Interior Ministry stated that these reinforcements would remain in place as long as necessary.
Interior Minister Fernando Grande-Marlaska emphasized the commitment to deploy sufficient personnel to restore normalcy promptly and avoid a recurrence of the events on July 30.
Approximately 5,000 migrants still resided in Ceuta, according to the minister. Many were seen seeking refuge from the intense heat under makeshift bamboo shelters on El Trampolin urban beach.
Grande-Marlaska clarified that irregular migrants would not be permitted to remain in Ceuta, travel to mainland Spain, or obtain legal status, except in cases of extreme vulnerability. Those lacking the right to stay would be repatriated to Morocco.
Earlier this week, Rabat announced vigilance over social media content instigating a mass crossing on August 15, warning of legal action against organizers and participants.
Enhanced security measures were observed near the border, including police vans with wire shields and road checkpoints. Similar actions were reported near Spain’s other North African enclave, Melilla.
Efforts were made to prevent groups from boarding transportation to northern Morocco in cities like Casablanca, Fez, and Kenitra. Nonetheless, witnesses informed Reuters that some sub-Saharan African migrants were circumventing security checkpoints by utilizing mountain routes towards Fnideq.
A witness noted that schools in Fnideq had been repurposed to accommodate security forces deployed near the border.
Several of the young individuals who entered Ceuta on July 30 were observed engaging in fishing, swimming, or washing activities at Tarajal beach. Driss Sadik, a 22-year-old migrant who swam for five hours to reach Ceuta, advised against such perilous attempts, cautioning others against similar actions.
Adil Jamil, 17, echoed the sentiment, highlighting the futility of unauthorized border crossings and urging restraint to avoid exacerbating the situation.
Jamil remarked that these mass movements across the border were coordinated by individuals who set a date, gather in Fnideq, and cross collectively to amplify their strength in numbers, expressing a hopeful outlook on building a better future despite the risks involved.