Dozens Detained at Ceuta Border as Security Tightens

Moroccan authorities have arrested more than 100 migrants attempting to cross into the Spanish exclave of Ceuta on Saturday. 111 people were taken into custody near the town of Fnideq, known to Spaniards as Castillejos, according to security agencies cited by Spanish media and Reuters.

The crackdown follows a wave of migrants who arrived by sea in Ceuta earlier this month, when an estimated 78,000 people streamed into the region in just a few hours. The city’s mayor reported that 100 of those migrants perished in the attempt.

Both Spain and Morocco intensified their security measures in response. Moroccan police, some in riot gear, reportedly used tear gas to scatter groups gathered on hills. National security sources said the army, navy speedboats and drones were deployed to the border that day.

In the weeks since, Spain has placed more than 1,500 officers on patrol, and a metal fence and floating barrier were installed around the breakwater entrance. The heightened security is described as “ten times stronger than the previous day” by the Spanish newspaper El País.

The crisis has strained relations among EU members that share open borders. Italy suspended its Schengen arrangement with Spain, while the Czech Republic called for Spain’s temporary suspension from the Schengen area. Despite these tensions, Prime Minister Sánchez has emphasized that Ceuta is not part of the Schengen zone.

The detention of migrants and the reinforcing of border surges highlight the urgency for coordinated humanitarian aid, robust policing and policies that address the root causes pushing people to undertake perilous journeys – many of whom are fleeing climate‑related hardship in sub‑Saharan Africa.