Morocco has stepped up security measures around Ceuta in an unprecedented effort to prevent a potential mass attempt by migrants to cross into the city, amid calls circulating on social media for a collective crossing on Saturday, August 15.
Moroccan authorities have significantly reinforced security and military deployments in the areas surrounding Ceuta, with multiple security and military units deployed to monitor movement and prevent migrants from reaching the border.
Additional security checkpoints have also been set up in nearby cities, including Fnideq, Tetouan and Tangier, as Moroccan authorities seek to intercept potential migrants before they reach the areas surrounding Ceuta.
The measures include the deployment of barbed wire near the border crossing, as well as barriers in areas along the coastline, in an apparent effort to prevent migrants from attempting to cross either by land or sea.
The heightened security operation comes after anonymous calls circulated on social media urging migrants to organize a mass attempt to enter Ceuta on August 15.
Moroccan authorities have not publicly confirmed the existence of an organized operation behind the calls. However, the intensified security presence indicates that authorities are treating the possibility of a new mass crossing attempt as a serious security concern.
The latest measures come weeks after Ceuta experienced a major influx of migrants arriving from Morocco, putting significant pressure on local authorities and prompting Spain to strengthen security measures around the enclave.
The Moroccan deployment is aimed at preventing migrants from gathering near the border and reaching the crossing points, while also limiting movement toward the coastal areas from which attempts to enter Ceuta by sea could be launched.
