Morocco detains 148 migrants after mass crossing attempt into Spain's Ceuta

According to a Fnideq provincial official, 20 of those detained were Moroccan nationals and 128 were from other African countries.

A heavy security presence prevented any mass crossing near Ceuta and Melilla, with the security situation remaining "normal and under control," said the official.

Authorities will continue monitoring online activity to identify those involved in encouraging mass migration attempts, while field operations will continue to prevent irregular crossings and detain those organizing them, the official said.

Moroccan authorities deployed additional personnel and logistical resources to prevent the attempted crossings, including surveillance drones, security vehicles and water trucks intended to prevent confrontations with migrants, the official added.

Earlier Saturday, authorities thwarted an attempt by hundreds of irregular migrants, most of them from African countries, to reach Ceuta from Fnideq.

An Anadolu correspondent reported that security forces prevented the migrants from approaching the border crossing and maintained a heavy presence in the area.

The attempted crossing occurred on the date Moroccan authorities had previously identified as the target of anonymous social media calls for mass crossings into Ceuta and Melilla.

Interior Ministry spokesman Rachid El Khalfi said Wednesday that authorities had recently detected "anonymous posts and messages" on social media calling for mass illegal crossings into the two cities on Aug. 15.

The ministry described the calls as posing "serious risks to people's safety" and said they sought to exploit migration issues for activities punishable under Moroccan law.

El Khalfi said that “authorities are closely monitoring the situation and taking measures to prevent illegal crossings and intercept those involved.”

The border area near Ceuta saw tens of thousands of Moroccans converge between July 29 and 31 in what was described as the largest wave of irregular crossings toward the city, before most returned to Fnideq.

On Aug. 7, Morocco's National Human Rights Council, a state body, said 14 people had died during the crossing attempt. Spanish figures put the death toll at 80.

Moroccan authorities estimated that about 40,000 people took part in the attempted crossing, while Spanish authorities put the figure at more than 70,000.

Migrants from several countries regularly attempt to cross from Morocco into the Spanish-administered territories, seeking to reach Europe amid economic hardship and armed conflicts in their home countries.

Earlier, it was reported that Spain would return all undocumented migrants who entered Ceuta in late July to Morocco.