Moroccan security forces intercepted 111 migrants near the border of Ceuta on Saturday, August 15, 2026, preventing a new attempt to enter the Spanish territory.
Moroccan security sources cited by Spanish media and Reuters said the individuals were stopped on the outskirts of Fnideq, known in Spanish as Castillejos, roughly 3 kilometers from the border. The majority of those intercepted originated from sub-Saharan Africa.
Moroccan police reportedly used tear gas to disperse crowds of migrants who had gathered on nearby hills before reaching the border area, according to a report by the BBC.
Social media calls and security response
The operation followed widespread messages circulated on social media platforms that called for a mass crossing attempt over the weekend. Moroccan authorities said earlier in the week that they were monitoring posts of unknown origin promoting the gathering.
Moroccan officials warned that organizers and participants involved in the border push would face prosecution. To secure the area, Spanish authorities deployed more than 1,500 police officers to patrol the border region, while Moroccan forces also increased security along the perimeter.
Previous mass crossing attempt
The heightened security response follows a major border crisis two weeks earlier, when an estimated 78,000 migrants reached Ceuta by sea in a span of just a few hours. Other security estimates placed the number of migrants at approximately 80,000 people.
Local authorities reported that about 100 people lost their lives during that earlier crossing attempt.
Ceuta is a Spanish autonomous enclave situated on the North African coast, surrounded by Morocco and the Mediterranean Sea. As a territory of Spain, it forms an official land border of the European Union in Africa, making it a frequent focus for migration attempts.
