Moroccan authorities have detained 152 individuals accused of using social media to incite a large-scale illegal migration attempt to the Spanish enclave of Ceuta, a government spokesperson revealed.
In recent days, thousands of mostly young Moroccan men flocked to the northern city of Fnideq, near Ceuta, in an effort to cross the border. Their attempts were halted by an unprecedented security presence, according to local human rights activists.
“All attempts have been thwarted,” said government spokesperson Mustapha Baitas during a press conference on Thursday, noting that around 3,000 individuals had tried to migrate illegally.
Ceuta, along with Melilla, are Spanish territories on Morocco’s Mediterranean coast and the only land borders between the European Union and Africa. These enclaves are frequent targets for mass migration efforts by people seeking entry into Europe.
Since Madrid’s 2022 support for Morocco’s autonomy plan for the disputed Western Sahara, Morocco and Spain have increased their cooperation in curbing illegal migration.
Footage shared by local media depicted young people throwing stones at security forces who blocked their access to Ceuta.
“No casualties have been reported,” Baitas added, emphasizing that authorities followed legal protocols.
From January to August this year, Moroccan authorities prevented 45,015 people from attempting to illegally migrate to Europe, per figures from the interior ministry. Last month, Spanish police noted that hundreds of migrants tried to swim to Ceuta under cover of dense fog.
With tighter border controls in Morocco’s north, more migrants are now opting for the longer and more dangerous Atlantic route toward Spain’s Canary Islands.
