CEUTA, Spain — Spain has reinforced security in its North African enclave of Ceuta ahead of calls on social media for a new mass attempt to cross the border from Morocco on Saturday, Spanish authorities said.
The Spanish government has deployed additional police and Guardia Civil personnel in Ceuta, while authorities have also maintained military and surveillance resources introduced after a major influx at the end of July. Spanish media reported that 880 National Police officers and 714 Guardia Civil personnel were already deployed in the enclave, with a further 45 officers expected to reinforce security.
The measures follow online messages urging migrants to attempt another mass crossing on Aug. 15. Moroccan authorities have also increased security along the border and warned against attempts to enter Spain illegally, according to reports from Spanish media.
The latest warnings follow a mass movement of migrants into Ceuta on July 30. Reuters reported that around 72,000 migrants crossed into the enclave during the episode, while at least 96 people died, according to figures reported by Spanish authorities. Most of those who entered were subsequently returned to Morocco.
Spain has also installed a 500-metre floating barrier off Ceuta after the July crossings, as part of efforts to prevent further sea entries.
Spanish and Moroccan authorities have warned that some online messages promoting another crossing are false or misleading. As of Saturday, there was no confirmed report of a new mass border breach, while security forces remained deployed and authorities continued monitoring the situation.
