Morocco arrests 152 people for allegedly inciting illegal migration to Ceuta 

RABAT — 

Morocco has arrested 152 people, who volition present look proceedings connected accusations they utilized societal media to incite an effort astatine wide amerciable migration into the adjacent Spanish enclave of Ceuta, a authorities spokesperson said.

In caller days, thousands of mostly young Moroccan men rushed to the bluish metropolis of Fnideq, bordering Ceuta, to effort a crossing. Their efforts were thwarted by the heaviest information deployment ever seen the city, according to quality rights activists there.

"All attempts person been foiled," spokesperson Mustapha Baitas said astatine a quality league precocious connected Thursday.

"Some 3000 radical attempted amerciable migration," helium said, successful a archetypal authoritative remark days aft the crossing attempt.

Spain's 2 enclaves connected Morocco's Mediterranean coast, Ceuta and Melilla, stock the lone onshore borders betwixt the European Union and Africa. They sporadically acquisition waves of attempted crossings by migrants trying to scope Europe.

Morocco and Spain person strengthened their practice successful addressing amerciable migration since Madrid backed a Moroccan autonomy program for disputed Western Sahara successful 2022.

Videos shared by section media showed young radical throwing stones astatine information forces arsenic they were prevented from getting adjacent the Ceuta border.

"No deaths person been reported," Baitas said, adding authorities acted successful respect for the law.

In the archetypal 8 months this year, Morocco stopped 45,015 radical from illegally migrating to Europe, according to interior ministry figures.

Last month, hundreds of migrants took vantage of a heavy mist to aquatics to Ceuta, Spanish constabulary said.

Tighter surveillance of Morocco's bluish borders has prompted an expanding fig of migrants to effort the riskier and longer Atlantic way to the Canary Islands.