Morocco arrests 111 migrants headed to Spain's Ceuta as sides step up crackdown
Moroccan police used tear gas to disperse groups gathered at border, Spanish media reports
Moroccan police arrested at least 111 people on Saturday as they tried to enter Spain's North African enclave of Ceuta, amid tightened security on both sides of the border after social media posts called for another mass migrant crossing.
asserted
posts → arrest → crossing
The attempted crossing came two weeks after more than 72,000 migrants surged into Ceuta, sparking tensions within the European Union and fuelling anti-immigration rhetoric among far-right parties worldwide.
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migrants → attempt → parties
At least 96 people died in the attempt to reach European soil.
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people → die → soil
A source in Morocco's Interior Ministry told Reuters those detained included 109 migrants from sub-Saharan Africa and two Moroccan citizens arrested in or around Fnideq, the Moroccan city opposite Ceuta.
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those → tell → Ceuta
According to Spanish news agency EFE, Moroccan police used tear gas to disperse groups of migrants gathered on hills about three kilometres from the border.
uncertain
police → accord → border
Reuters later saw hundreds of police officers, some in riot gear and others in plain clothes, returning from the hills outside Fnideq.
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hundreds → see → Fnideq
EFE and Spanish state broadcaster TVE said Morocco's Interior Ministry ordered their journalists to leave Fnideq immediately, without providing an explanation.
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Ministry → say → explanation
In Ceuta, Spanish soldiers guarded supermarkets while police heavily patrolled the enclave's main streets.
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police → guard → streets
Madrid has since installed a maritime barrier and deployed more than 500 additional police from mainland Spain, raising the total in Ceuta to more than 1,600.
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Madrid → instal → 1,600
The Interior Ministry said the reinforcements would remain for as long as needed.
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reinforcements → say → ?
"We'll continue to deploy whatever personnel are necessary to restore normality as soon as possible and prevent events like those of July 30 from happening again," Interior Minister Fernando Grande-Marlaska said on Thursday.
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Marlaska → continue → Thursday
About 5,000 migrants remained in Ceuta, the minister said.
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minister → remain → Ceuta
Reuters saw hundreds sheltering from scorching heat under makeshift bamboo shelters on the urban beach of El Trampolin.
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hundreds → see → Trampolin
Grande-Marlaska said migrants who entered irregularly would not be allowed to stay in the enclave, travel to mainland Spain or obtain legal status, except in rare cases involving extreme vulnerability.
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who → say → vulnerability
Those without a right to remain would be returned to Morocco, he said.
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he → remain → Morocco
Earlier this week, Rabat said it was monitoring "the circulation of social media posts and messages of unknown origin" calling for a mass crossing on Aug. 15, warning it would prosecute organizers and participants.
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it → say → organizers
A Reuters witness saw reinforced security near the border, including police vans with wire shields and road checkpoints.
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witness → see → shields
Local media reported similar measures near Spain's other North African enclave, Melilla.
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media → report → enclave
Authorities prevented several groups from boarding trains and buses to northern Morocco in cities such as Casablanca, Fez and Kenitra.
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Authorities → prevent → Casablanca
However, witnesses told Reuters that some migrants from sub-Saharan Africa were bypassing security checkpoints by taking mountain routes towards Fnideq.
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migrants → tell → Fnideq
One witness said the schools in Fnideq had been turned into accommodation for security forces deployed near the border.
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schools → say → border
'Don't cross now, my brothers'
Many of the young people who entered Ceuta on July 30 were fishing, swimming or washing at Tarajal beach on Friday.
Driss Sadik, a 22-year-old from Fez who said he swam for five hours to reach Ceuta, urged others not to follow his example.
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he → cross → example
"The important thing I would advise people trying to cross: Don't cross now, my brothers.
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I → advise → people
You're only going to suffer," he told Reuters.
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he → go → Reuters
The warning was echoed by Adil Jamil, 17.
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warning → echo → Jamil
"Those who enter aren't going to benefit from anything.
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who → enter → anything
There will just be more and more of us, and they won't find a solution for all," he said.
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he → find → all
Jamil said that the mass border crossings were "planned by the people" who pick a date, gather in Fnideq and cross together to find strength in numbers.
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who → say → numbers
"If I had stayed with my parents, I would've died slowly.
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I → stay → parents
But if I risk my life, arrive and build my future ... it will be better," he said.
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he → risk → future
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