Morocco arrests hundreds of migrants near Ceuta

The detainees reportedly included 294 people from Sub-Saharan Africa and 61 Moroccan nationals accused of facilitating the border crossing At least 355 people were detained by the Moroccan authorities near Ceuta on Saturday as security forces sought to prevent another mass crossing into the Spanish enclave called for on social media.

Moroccan state-owned broadcaster Medi 1 TV said 294 migrants from Sub-Saharan Africa and 61 Moroccans accused of facilitating the attempted crossings had been detained.

Reuters had earlier reported at least 111 detentions in and around the border city of Fnideq, citing a Moroccan Interior Ministry source who identified 109 Sub-Saharan African migrants and two Moroccan citizens.

Police reportedly fired tear gas at groups gathering on hills near the border.

Spain, meanwhile, deployed soldiers and hundreds of additional police officers to Ceuta.

The security operation followed online calls for a mass crossing on August 15 and came two weeks after more than 72,000 people crossed into Ceuta on July 30, overwhelming the enclave.

At least 100 people reportedly died while attempting to reach Spanish territory.

The crisis has revived a sovereignty dispute between Madrid and Rabat.

Morocco has claimed Ceuta and Melilla since gaining independence in 1956.

Spain regards the enclaves, which it has controlled for centuries, as integral parts of its territory.

READ MORE: Spain rejects Morocco’s claim to sovereignty over enclaves Moroccan Justice Minister Abdellatif Ouahbi said on August 11 that Rabat repeatedly raised the territories’ status with Madrid and wanted the dispute resolved through negotiations.

Spanish Defense Minister Margarita Robles rejected the claim, declaring that Ceuta and Melilla were Spanish and “cannot be touched.” Spain’s Foreign Ministry said the country’s territorial integrity was not open to discussion.

More than 8,000 people entered Ceuta in 2021 amid allegations that Morocco had eased border enforcement during a diplomatic dispute with Spain.

The incident was widely viewed as retaliation for Madrid’s decision to provide medical treatment to Polisario Front leader Brahim Ghali, an advocate of Western Sahara’s independence from Morocco.