Morocco blocks hundreds of migrants heading for Ceuta as Spain deploys thousands of forces

Moroccan forces block mass crossing attempt

Moroccan security forces blocked an attempt by hundreds of migrants, predominantly from sub-Saharan Africa, to reach the Spanish enclave of Ceuta on 15 August. The group had gathered in a mountainous, wooded area near the town of Fnideq (Castillejos in Spanish), southwest of the enclave, after social media appeals called for a new mass crossing on the Ferragosto holiday. The operation was launched at dawn to neutralise a call for a blitz spread on social media in the preceding days. Moroccan agents dispersed the groups hiding in the wooded area, and the migrants remained in the zone under strict surveillance, according to Rabat security sources cited by the Efe news agency. After the tensions of the early morning hours, the town of Fnideq returned to calm, though it remained heavily guarded.

The mobilisation for 15 August drew significantly fewer participants than the late July crossing, and by mid-morning the situation on both sides of the border was tense but relatively calm. Only a handful of migrants managed to approach the border barrier. Among them was a 17-year-old girl who told Efe she had arrived in Castillejos overnight on a bus from Tetouan, passing through three checkpoints along the 35-kilometre route.

Security deployment on both sides

Spain deployed a substantially reinforced security presence compared with late July. According to detailed figures, 880 National Police officers (270 more than at the end of July), 714 Civil Guard agents (nearly 200 more), a 45-officer anti-riot unit, and 20 specialists from the Central Brigade of Immigration and Borders were stationed at the enclave. The specialists were tasked with examining any international protection requests that might be submitted by migrants remaining in the enclave. Approximately 2,000 military personnel remained mobilised. On the Moroccan side, local media reported a deployment of about 5,000 security agents. The Moroccan Royal Navy sealed the border by land and sea, using patrol boats and drones, and checkpoints were maintained on all main access roads, particularly those from Tetouan and Tangier.

Security was also reinforced at Melilla, Spain's second North African enclave, after Spanish security forces detected migrant movements toward Beni Enzar, the main land border crossing between Melilla and Morocco.

The July crisis and its toll

The measures were strengthened following the crisis of 30 and 31 July, when between 72,000 and 80,000 migrants crossed the border into Ceuta, according to varying source estimates. Nearly all were repatriated within hours, but the images circulated online were sufficient to trigger talk of a new emergency and provoke reactions from various European political forces. The crossing caused 82 deaths on the Spanish side of the border, according to data released by the Institute of Legal Medicine of Ceuta, which performed autopsies on the bodies. Humanitarian organisations, including Caminando Fronteras, estimated at least 141 victims on both sides of the border.

Political reactions

Pedro Rollán, President of the Spanish Senate, urged the government to approve a regulatory framework allowing "rapid and immediate" repatriation of those who entered "illegally and irregularly" weeks earlier. He described the late July crossing as "an invasion."

Italian minister Piantedosi said in a video message published on social media:

Enough ambiguity. Ceuta is a signal that Europe cannot underestimate; combating human traffickers must be a priority.