Moroccan forces successfully thwarted a mass attempt by migrants to breach the border fence with the Spanish enclave of Sebta on Sunday. The thwarted attempt followed a recent social media campaign urging large-scale migration to the city.
This effort is intended to prevent the social media spread of a large clandestine migration on September 15 across the barrier between Fnideq and Sebta.
Since Friday, Moroccan authorities have significantly increased their presence in Fnideq. Videos circulating online show a heavy security deployment in the area, aimed at preventing any security breaches and protecting public and private property.
Several buses were dispatched to Sebta’s border to return migrants involved in the attempt to their original residences. Additionally, some individuals attempting to swim from Fnideq’s beach were intercepted.
Spanish newspaper “El País” reported that the Spanish Civil Guard also deployed a significant number of riot-equipped officers along Sebta’s side of the border. The situation was brought under control shortly after noon.
According to the same source, tensions escalated from Saturday night into Sunday morning in Fnideq, with Moroccan security forces chasing groups of migrants and encountering incidents of violence, including stone-throwing at officers.
Over the past week, Fnideq has been under heightened security to prevent migrants from swimming to Sebta, following similar incidents in August.
Moroccan authorities confirmed that in August alone, security forces prevented 14,648 irregular migrants from attempting to breach Sebta and Melilla or from swimming along the coast, representing nearly a third of all thwarted attempts this year.