Morocco intercepts migrants attempting to reach Spain's Ceuta and Melilla
Dozens of migrants gathered in the hills near the northern Moroccan city of Fnideq on Saturday as security forces moved to prevent attempted crossings into the Spanish territories of Ceuta and Melilla.
Footage showed migrants on a hillside as a helicopter circled overhead, while police escorted some people onto a bus.
Mohammed Jaafar, a migrant from Nigeria, said he was trying to support his family. "I have two children. I have a wife, I have a mother and father," he said. "They are waiting for me because I am the one who takes responsibility."
Moroccan authorities increased security around Fnideq and other areas near Ceuta after calls circulated on social media encouraging coordinated crossings on August 15.
Moroccan media reported that more than 350 people had been intercepted in and around Fnideq by 16:00 local time on Saturday, most from sub-Saharan African countries.
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Authorities also said 61 people had been arrested in recent days on suspicion of promoting irregular migration on social media. Spain reinforced security in Ceuta, increasing deployments and surveillance by land, sea and air.
The measures followed a mass crossing from Morocco into Ceuta at the end of July, when tens of thousands entered the Spanish territory by land and sea and dozens died.
This story is written and edited by the Global South World team, you can contact us here.
