Morocco arrests suspects over calls for mass crossings into Ceuta, Melilla

Dubai: Morocco has arrested several people suspected of inciting mass irregular migration into the Spanish enclaves of Ceuta and Melilla and stepped up security to prevent a repeat of large-scale border crossings, the Interior Ministry said.

The measures follow the circulation of anonymous posts on social media calling on people to gather and attempt mass crossings into the two Spanish territories on August 15. Moroccan authorities said they were closely monitoring the calls and had taken the necessary security and legal measures to prevent attempts to breach the borders.

The ministry said suspects accused of promoting the calls had been arrested and referred to the relevant judicial authorities, while security vigilance had been reinforced around routes leading to Ceuta and Melilla.

The renewed alert comes against a backdrop of repeated attempts by migrants to enter the two Spanish enclaves, which sit on Morocco's Mediterranean coast and constitute the European Union's only land borders with Africa.

Ceuta in particular has faced mounting migration pressure. Irregular land arrivals there rose to 1,819 in the first three months of 2026, up from 340 in the same period of 2025, according to the Mixed Migration Centre. Reception facilities were housing about 1,000 people despite having capacity for 512.

Morocco has previously faced mass crossings organised or encouraged through social media. In September 2024, thousands of mostly young Moroccans gathered around the northern border town of Fnideq after online calls for a mass attempt to enter Ceuta.

Moroccan authorities said at the time that about 3,000 people had attempted to cross illegally and that all attempts had been thwarted. Authorities arrested 152 people accused of using social media to incite irregular migration.

The latest calls have prompted Morocco and Spain to reinforce security around the enclaves ahead of Aug. 15, as authorities seek to prevent another large-scale movement towards the border.