Moroccan Forces Halt Migration Attempt at Ceuta Border

Moroccan security presence intensified after social media migration calls
By Newser.AI Read our AI policy
Posted Sep 16, 2024 8:00 AM CDT
Moroccan Forces Halt Migration Attempt at Ceuta Border
People thought to be migrants stand on top of hill at the Tarajal border in the Spanish enclave of Ceuta, Sunday, Sept. 15, 2024.   (Antonio Sempera/Europa Press via AP)

Moroccan security forces thwarted recent attempts by groups to breach the border into Ceuta, a Spanish enclave in North Africa, following social media calls for mass migration. According to Spain's Interior Ministry, none succeeded in crossing the border, and combined efforts of Moroccan and Spanish security managed to control the situation. Videos on social media showed increased Moroccan security, including helicopters near the border town of Fnideq.

Authorities also apprehended 60 individuals believed to have incited the mass migration attempt through social networks, as per Moroccan intelligence agency DGSN. Ceuta and Melilla, both Spanish territories in North Africa, have been targets for migrants aiming to enter Europe; many try to get into the enclaves by scaling barbed wire fences or taking risky sea routes. The Spanish Interior Ministry reported that no breaches were made during these latest attempts.

From January to early September, Moroccan authorities halted over 45,000 migration attempts. Specific to August, more than 11,000 attempts around Ceuta and 3,000 around Melilla were prevented; many young individuals trying to bypass controls by swimming to Ceuta. (This story was generated by Newser's AI chatbot. Source: the AP)

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