Moroccan law enforcement officers detained 111 people attempting to enter the Spanish exclave of Ceuta illegally. Police used tear gas during the operation to disperse the crowd.
This was reported by Glavcom citing Reuters, according to the portal PromPolitInform.
The arrests took place near the city of Fnideq, located three kilometers from the Spanish border. The group of detainees included 109 migrants from sub-Saharan Africa and two local residents.
Preparation for a large-scale border assault
Moroccan security forces used tear gas to contain the groups of people moving en masse toward the exclave. Previously, Spanish intelligence services had warned of the possibility of new attempts to cross the border due to calls circulating on social media.
Diplomatic and security challenges for the EU
The situation in Ceuta remains tense due to territorial disputes between Morocco and Spain. In July of this year, the region experienced a massive influx of people when thousands crossed the border via coastal breakwaters.
Minister of Foreign Affairs Andrii Sybiha previously stated that rf uses migration crises in European exclaves as a tool for hybrid influence on EU countries. Spanish authorities are attempting to stabilize the situation, despite the complex legal aspects of the forced return of illegal migrants.
Illustrative photo: Mario Sánchez Bueno from Ceuta, España / CC BY-SA 2.0
