Moroccan Authorities Crack Down on Migrant Crossing Attempts into Ceuta
By Editor • August 15, 2026 • 1 min read
In a robust response to recent social media calls for mass migration into Ceuta, Moroccan police detained 111 individuals attempting to cross into the Spanish enclave. The arrests occurred on Saturday as security intensified along the border following a prior surge of over 72,000 migrants just two weeks earlier, which resulted in significant fatalities and heightened tensions within the EU.
The detained included 109 migrants from sub-Saharan Africa and two Moroccan nationals, apprehended near the city of Fnideq, close to Ceuta. Reports indicate that Moroccan authorities employed teargas to disperse groups of migrants congregating on surrounding hills, reflecting the escalating urgency of the situation.
In Ceuta, Spanish military personnel safeguarded local supermarkets, while law enforcement patrolled the streets, aiming to maintain order after the chaos that ensued from the mass crossing attempt on July 30. Spain's interior minister, Fernando Grande-Marlaska, confirmed that over 1,600 police officers have been deployed, with an intention to prevent any recurrence of the earlier crisis.
Amidst these developments, approximately 5,000 migrants remain in Ceuta, many seeking refuge under makeshift shelters. Grande-Marlaska emphasized that those who entered irregularly would face deportation back to Morocco, except in rare cases of extreme vulnerability.
Source: www.theguardian.com
