Morocco Blocks 100+ Migrants Amid Fresh Ceuta Crossing Attempt

Moroccan authorities have reportedly intercepted more than 100 migrants attempting to cross into the Spanish North African exclave of Ceuta. This significant intervention comes just two weeks after a massive influx saw an estimated 78,000 migrants enter the exclave by sea in a matter of hours, an event that led to the deaths of around 100 individuals, according to Ceuta's mayor.

Security measures were dramatically stepped up in the region following widespread suggestions on social media of a potential second mass crossing attempt. Moroccan security sources, cited by Spanish media and Reuters, indicated that 111 individuals were detained in or around Fnideq (also known as Castillejos), a town approximately 3km from the border. The majority of those detained are believed to be from sub-Saharan Africa.

Eyewitness reports suggest that Moroccan police, some equipped with riot gear, deployed tear gas to disperse groups of migrants who had gathered on nearby hills. Earlier this week, the Moroccan government had issued a warning, stating it was actively monitoring “the circulation of social media posts and messages of unknown origin” encouraging a mass crossing. The government also pledged to prosecute both organizers and participants involved in such attempts.

In response to the heightened situation, both Morocco and Spain have bolstered their border defenses. Spain's El País newspaper reported that security at the breakwater entrance was ten times stronger than the previous day. Morocco dispatched army officers, navy speedboats, and drones to the border area. Concurrently, Madrid deployed over 1,500 security officers to patrol the region. Spain has also reinforced its defenses with a new metal fence and a floating barrier, installed after the previous month's large-scale arrival.

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