According to the Moroccan state broadcaster Medi 1 TV, 294 migrants from Sub-Saharan Africa were detained last Saturday while attempting to enter Ceuta. Furthermore, authorities also arrested 61 Moroccan citizens on suspicion of assisting these migration attempts, as reported by the same broadcaster.
These crossing attempts arose after an increase in social media posts encouraging migrants to head to Ceuta, a Spanish locality located on the northern coast of Morocco. In reaction to this, both Moroccan and Spanish authorities have intensified security and limited movements towards that region.
In this context, the Spanish Prime Minister, Pedro Sánchez, is presiding over a coordination meeting via video conference with several ministers on Monday to address the current situation in Ceuta.
Data from Spanish authorities indicates that approximately 72,000 individuals entered the Spanish autonomous city of Ceuta, located in North Africa, during a 24-hour period at the beginning of August, and that 70,000 of these migrants have already returned to Morocco.
Officially, at least 90 people have died on both sides of the border, although human rights groups have reported higher numbers.
Ceuta, a small territory with a population of 80,000 inhabitants, is located in the far north of Morocco, bordering the Strait of Gibraltar. It is recognized as one of the two land borders connecting Africa to Europe, alongside the other Spanish enclave, Melilla.
