Moroccan authorities detained more than a hundred migrants who were attempting to enter the Spanish exclave of Ceuta in North Africa illegally.
August 16, 2026, 10:48 a.m.
According to the BBC, citing Ukrinform, 111 people were detained in the town of Fnideq and its surroundings, approximately three kilometers from the border. Most of them are citizens of sub-Saharan African countries.
Moroccan police used tear gas to disperse migrants attempting to cross the border. Earlier, the Moroccan government stated that it was monitoring “the spread of social media posts and messages of unknown origin” calling for a mass border crossing planned for Saturday. The authorities warned that they would prosecute the organizers and participants in these actions.
Spain’s Response
In response to the growing tension, Spain’s Ministry of the Interior reported on July 31 that nearly 50,000 migrants had crossed the border from Morocco into Ceuta in a single day. Later, the Spanish government stated that more than 48,300 people had been returned to Morocco.
On August 14, it was reported that thousands of Spanish and Moroccan security forces had stepped up border security amid new calls for a mass migrant surge into Ceuta.
