Moroccan authorities have arrested 152 individuals accused of using social media to encourage an attempted mass illegal migration into the Spanish enclave of Ceuta, government spokesperson Mustapha Baitas announced Thursday.
The arrests follow a recent surge of mostly young Moroccan men rushing to the northern city of Fnideq, which borders Ceuta, in an attempt to cross into Spanish territory. These efforts were met with what local human rights activists described as the heaviest security deployment ever seen in the city.
“All attempts have been foiled,” Baitas stated at a news conference, providing the first official comment days after the incident. He reported that approximately 3,000 people had attempted illegal migration.
Ceuta and Melilla, Spain’s two enclaves on Morocco’s Mediterranean coast, represent the European Union’s only land borders with Africa. These areas periodically experience waves of attempted crossings by migrants seeking to reach Europe.
Since Madrid endorsed a Moroccan autonomy plan for the disputed Western Sahara in 2022, Morocco and Spain have strengthened their cooperation in addressing illegal migration.
Local media shared videos showing young people throwing stones at security forces as they were prevented from approaching the Ceuta border. Baitas assured that no deaths were reported and that authorities acted within the law.
According to interior ministry figures, Morocco prevented 45,015 people from illegally migrating to Europe in the first eight months of this year. Last month, hundreds of migrants took advantage of thick mist to swim to Ceuta, as reported by Spanish police.
The increased surveillance of Morocco’s northern borders has led to a rise in migrants attempting the riskier and longer Atlantic route to the Canary Islands.
The 152 individuals now face trial for their alleged role in inciting the migration attempt through social media.
