Moroccan authorities have arrested 152 individuals accused of using social media to incite mass illegal migration into the Spanish enclave of Ceuta, a government spokesperson announced.
In recent days, thousands of young Moroccan men gathered in the northern city of Fnideq, near Ceuta, attempting to cross the border. Their efforts were blocked by an unprecedented security operation, according to human rights activists.
“All attempts have been prevented,” government spokesman Mustapha Baitas said during a Thursday news conference. He revealed that around 3,000 people had tried to cross, marking the first official statement following the incident.
Ceuta and Melilla, Spain’s two enclaves on Morocco’s Mediterranean coast, are the only land borders between Africa and the European Union and often see waves of migrant crossings into Europe.
Since Spain endorsed Morocco’s autonomy plan for the disputed Western Sahara in 2022, both nations have strengthened cooperation to combat illegal migration.
Recent footage shared by local media showed young people throwing stones at security forces as they were blocked from approaching the Ceuta border.
“No deaths have been reported,” said government spokesperson Mustapha Baitas, emphasizing that authorities acted within the bounds of the law.
According to Morocco’s interior ministry, the country has prevented 45,015 people from attempting illegal migration to Europe in the first eight months of this year. Last month, Spanish police reported that hundreds of migrants took advantage of heavy mist to swim to Ceuta.
Meanwhile, increased security along Morocco’s northern borders has driven more migrants to take the longer and more dangerous Atlantic route toward the Canary Islands.
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