Moroccan security forces have arrested nearly 300 migrants attempting to reach the Spanish enclave of Ceuta by land and sea, as authorities intensify security along the border to prevent another mass crossing.
Morocco’s state broadcaster Medi 1 TV reported that 294 migrants from sub-Saharan Africa were arrested on Saturday while attempting to enter Ceuta. Authorities also detained 61 Moroccan nationals accused of facilitating the migration attempts.
The latest arrests come about two weeks after more than 72,000 people reportedly attempted to reach Ceuta in a major migration crisis. At least 90 people died, according to official figures, while human rights organisations said the actual death toll could be higher.
The attempted crossings were reportedly encouraged by social media posts urging migrants to travel towards Ceuta. In response, Moroccan and Spanish authorities have significantly increased security along the border.
Migrants Demand Asylum
On Sunday, hundreds of migrants staged a protest on a beach in Ceuta, calling on Spanish authorities to grant them asylum rather than return them to Morocco.
An estimated 5,000 to 8,000 migrants remain in Ceuta following the mass crossing two weeks ago. Many are living in difficult conditions on beaches and on the outskirts of the city while waiting for opportunities to continue towards mainland Europe.
Protesters carried Spanish flags and banners reading “We don’t want to go back to Morocco” and “We are also human.”
Spanish Interior Minister Fernando Grande-Marlaska said migrants who entered the enclave irregularly would generally not be permitted to remain in Ceuta, travel to mainland Spain or obtain legal status, except in exceptional cases involving extreme vulnerability.
Morocco has reportedly deployed more than 20,000 security personnel along the Ceuta border each day.
Thousands of migrants from across Africa and beyond travel through Morocco every year, fleeing poverty, conflict and instability while seeking opportunities to reach Europe. Many attempt to enter the Spanish enclaves of Ceuta and Melilla before travelling onward to mainland Spain.
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