Morocco arrests more than 100 people near the Ceuta border as authorities step up security after social media calls for another mass attempt to enter the Spanish territory.
Moroccan police detained at least 111 people on Saturday after messages circulated online calling for another large border crossing into Ceuta. The arrests came just two weeks after tens of thousands of people reached the Spanish enclave in one of the largest recent migration movements in the area.
According to a Moroccan Interior Ministry source cited by Reuters, 109 of those detained were migrants from sub-Saharan Africa, while two were Moroccan citizens. The arrests happened mainly in and around Fnideq, a coastal Moroccan town about three kilometres from the border with Ceuta.
Some groups reportedly moved through the hills outside Fnideq to avoid security checkpoints. Spanish news agency EFE reported that Moroccan police used tear gas to break up groups gathered in the area.
Reuters later saw hundreds of Moroccan security officers returning from the hills. Some were wearing riot-control equipment, while others were in plain clothes.
The number of arrests remains disputed. Morocco’s official figure was 111, but Moroccan media outlet Le360 reported that 294 people had been detained, including 46 Moroccans. Moroccan authorities had not confirmed the higher number.
The latest security operation followed online calls for a mass attempt to cross into Ceuta on August 15.
Moroccan authorities said they were monitoring social media posts from unknown sources and warned that people involved in organising or taking part in an illegal crossing could face prosecution.
Security measures were expanded across northern Morocco. Police, military personnel, naval vessels and drones were deployed around the border area. Checkpoints were also established, while some people were stopped from using trains and buses to travel towards northern Morocco.
The measures show how seriously Moroccan authorities viewed the possibility of another large movement of people towards Ceuta.
The border is already one of the most closely watched migration routes between Africa and Europe. A large gathering can quickly become difficult to control because thousands of people may arrive in the same area within a short period.
Spain increased security on its side of the border as Morocco moved to prevent another mass crossing.
More than 1,600 police officers were deployed in Ceuta after Madrid sent more than 500 additional officers from mainland Spain, according to Reuters. Spanish authorities also installed a maritime barrier following the previous influx.
The latest measures are directly linked to the events of July 30, when more than 72,000 people entered Ceuta.
At least 96 people died during the crossing, according to Reuters. The deaths highlighted the dangers involved when large numbers of people attempt to reach the enclave at the same time.
The scale of the July movement also created a major challenge for Spanish authorities, particularly because Ceuta is a small territory on the North African coast with limited space and resources.
Spanish Interior Minister Fernando Grande-Marlaska said on Thursday that around 5,000 migrants remained in Ceuta.
He said people who entered without authorisation would not normally be moved to mainland Spain or given legal status. Exceptions could be made for people considered vulnerable.
Those who do not have a legal right to remain are expected to face return to Morocco.
That policy is likely to remain a major point of debate because migration management in Ceuta involves more than border security. Authorities must also deal with accommodation, legal procedures, humanitarian needs and the protection of vulnerable people.
The latest arrests are part of a wider and increasingly difficult migration situation along the Morocco-Spain border.
Ceuta’s location makes it unusual. The territory is Spanish-controlled but sits on the North African coast and shares a land border with Morocco. Morocco does not recognise Spanish sovereignty over Ceuta and considers the territory part of Morocco.
For migrants, however, the border represents a direct route towards European territory. That makes Ceuta a focal point for people seeking to enter Spain from North Africa.
The events of July also created tension beyond Spain and Morocco.
Italy introduced border controls on arrivals from Spain, saying the measure was linked to concerns about migration. Spain later introduced controls of its own after asking Italy to withdraw its decision.
Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani said Italy had been concerned about the possibility of another large arrival in Ceuta.
He rejected the idea that Italy was fighting Spain over the issue and said the country was simply carrying out closer checks on arrivals.
Ceuta has long been one of the most sensitive points on Europe’s external border.
The territory is surrounded by Morocco on land and by the Mediterranean Sea. Its position means that people attempting to reach Europe can try different routes, including the land border and sea approaches.
The July influx showed how quickly the situation can change. A new call on social media was enough to prompt Morocco and Spain to deploy large numbers of security personnel before another mass crossing could take place.
For Morocco, preventing these movements is also a major security challenge. Authorities must monitor large groups travelling towards the northern coast while trying to prevent dangerous attempts to cross the border.
For Spain, the challenge continues after people reach Ceuta. Officials must determine who can remain, who needs protection and who can legally be returned.
The latest arrests may have prevented another large crossing, but they do not remove the reasons people continue to gather around the border. Economic hardship, conflict, insecurity and the hope of reaching Europe remain powerful factors in migration decisions.
The events also show why Ceuta remains a sensitive issue between Morocco and Spain. Every major movement of people brings pressure on both governments, while the wider European migration debate quickly becomes involved.
For now, security around Fnideq and Ceuta remains tight. Moroccan authorities are trying to prevent another mass movement, while Spain is preparing for the possibility that pressure on the border could rise again.
Ceuta remains Spanish-administered territory, but Morocco disputes Spain’s sovereignty over the enclave. That unresolved political question continues to sit alongside the much larger and more difficult issue of migration between Africa and Europe.
