Moroccan authorities halt migration attempt to Spanish enclave of Ceuta
- In Reports
- 09:17 PM, Sep 16, 2024
- Myind Staff
Moroccan security came into action to block some groups from attempting to cross into Spain's North African enclave of Ceuta. Authorities report that the move came in response to a call on social media platforms to make a mass attempt to enter the enclave. Some groups attempted to cross the border through a fence that has long been a source of migration problems, but none of them was able to land in Spain, according to the Spanish Interior Ministry on Monday. The ministry also said that over the recent days, security forces from both Spain and Morocco ″allowed the situation to be brought under control.”
Online posts over the last couple of days encouraged people to travel to Ceuta on Sunday in order to enter Europe. Videos circulated by local networks show groups of people on hills near the Moroccan town of Fnideq, across from Ceuta. Moroccan security presence was also upped including helicopter deployment.
According to the Moroccan intelligence agency, DGSN, on Facebook, Moroccan authorities arrested 60 individuals accused of using social media to incite a mass migration attempt. Ceuta and Melilla, two tiny Spanish territories on the Moroccan edge of North Africa, have become favourite destinations of migrants and refugees who are eager to arrive in Europe. Many of them attempt to climb barbed-wire fences surrounding these cities or try to reach them by sea.
Over 45,000 attempts at illegal migration were stopped by Moroccan security forces between January and early September. As per the Moroccan Interior Ministry, in August alone 11,000 migration attempts were thwarted in the region close to Ceuta and around 3,000 attempts in the vicinity of Melilla. As per Spanish authorities, thousands of migrants attempted to enter Ceuta last month, including hundreds of young individuals who attempted to swim around security measures.
Image source: Arab News
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