Morocco detains dozens of migrants trying to enter Spanish North African exclave Ceuta
The attempted crossings come two weeks after around 72,000 people rushed into the Spanish North African exclave from Morocco. Calls for another mass crossing had been circulating on social media this week.
On Saturday, Moroccan authorities apprehended a significant number of individuals attempting to breach the border into Ceuta, a Spanish exclave situated in North Africa. This incident transpired following an incident two weeks prior, where approximately 72,000 migrants surged into Ceuta, creating a rift between Spain and several other EU nations.
A source familiar with the operation revealed to AFP that the event was a standard procedure aimed at thwarting unauthorized migration towards Ceuta. Over 100 migrants, predominantly from sub-Saharan Africa, were halted near Fnideq, a Moroccan city opposite Ceuta, according to a security source quoted by Reuters. However, Moroccan outlet Le360 reported a figure of 294 detentions.
Earlier in the week, Rabat had warned of potential unrest on August 15, warning organizers and participants that they would face legal repercussions. Eyewitnesses noted a robust Moroccan security presence surrounding Ceuta and Melilla, another Spanish enclave to the east, with numerous checkpoints and patrol boats monitoring the coastline, as per Spain's public broadcaster RTVE.
Morocco's Interior Ministry reportedly mandated Le360 journalists to depart Fnideq, known in Spanish as Castillejos, without explanation, citing adherence to instructions. The Moroccan official claimed to be following directives. EFE president Miguel Angel Oliver and RTVE president Jose Pablo Lopez both called for respect for journalistic freedom and stringent adherence from Moroccan authorities.
The expulsion of their professionals from Castillejos was deemed a significant setback for press freedom and the right to information by Lopez. Spain has since bolstered security in Ceuta, erecting a maritime barrier and dispatching over 500 additional police personnel from mainland Spain. Interior Minister Fernando Grande-Marlaska assured that the measures would remain in place until normalcy is restored and a recurrence of similar incidents is avoided.
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