Moroccan authorities prevented this Sunday Hundreds of migrants have reached the border with the Spanish city of Ceuta to cross it in response to a massive appeal on the internet, although many of them continue to gather in the mountains and nearby roads and may try again.
Young people, mostly Moroccan, have been arriving in recent days in the Moroccan city of Fnideq (Castillejos), on the border with Ceuta, despite the extensive measures deployed by the authorities of this Maghreb country to stop them, both on the outskirts of Ceuta and the border, as in neighboring cities such as Tangier.
They go to the Moroccan border town following an appeal published on social networks and widely distributed in Morocco in which young people are encouraged to cross messages with phrases such as “we will meet on 15/09”, “I hope on 15/9” or “15/9 Fnideq-Ceuta” accompanied by images of the sea or views of Ceuta from Castillejos.
Already this Saturday, the Moroccan authorities They managed to arrest more than 60 people who had collaborated in the call. through social networks to encourage citizens to swim to the Spanish autonomous city or jump the fence that separates the two countries.
For this Sunday, Moroccan gendarmerie prepared for unprecedented deployment and practically created a human shield to prevent the arrival of migrants. Because this call brought together hundreds of young people from different cities in central and southern Morocco, organized to travel by bus to the north and from there try to jump over the fence.
And at dawn, the action began. About 200 young people, according to Spanish police data, tried to cross the double barrier that separates Spain and Morocco at the Tarajal Pass, then a group of about thirty migrants tried to swim across, unsuccessfully in both cases due to the actions of the Moroccan security forces.
The critical situation eventually turned into a tragedy with the death of a young Moroccan woman who was trying to swimThe young woman’s body was found on a beach in the municipality of Fnideq, on the border with Ceuta, after being swept away by the sea. And attempts to resuscitate her were insufficient.
On the other hand, There have been many arrests whose papers and personal belongings were confiscated. An arrest that does not seem to change their minds: “They do this on purpose to intimidate us so that we do not take any more risks. But on the contrary, We will continue to come as many times as necessary.“.
Because, as they themselves say, the situation in their country is unbearable. Until now, Morocco has not provided any data on the device deployed. at the border (there are about fifty agents at the border post alone), nor the number of people arrested between this Saturday and this Sunday while trying to enter Ceuta.
Despite their efforts, the presence of people preparing to emigrate near the Moroccan border town persists, ready to try to cross the border again in search of a better life.
