Spain’s two enclaves in Morocco, Ceuta and Melilla, are often used as entry points into Europe for African migrants, who either climb over their border fences or try to swim along the coast.
A decade ago, the Investigative Project published a report about the fertile grounds for jihad recruitment in Ceuta. The area had virtually “nonexistent” institutional control, despite being rife with tensions relating to poverty and marginalization; tensions often viewed by Muslims as manifestations of the battle between Christianity versus Islam. Salafists then began inspiring youth to ambush police cars deemed to be the “Christian power and occupation”; amid the stoning, shouts about the “intifada of Ceuta” rang out.
The Investigative Project report rightly predicted that the situation in Ceuta could become a great facilitator of “jihadist recruitment.” Skirmishes continued; in March 2015, Spanish authorities dismantled a jihadist cell in Ceuta, which was reportedly ready to attack Spain and possibly other targets in Europe. Just last month, authorities dismantled an Islamic State recruitment cell in Ceuta. Now:
At least 800 sub-Saharan African migrants tried to cross into Spain’s North African enclave of Ceuta from Morocco
The Spanish enclaves of Ceuta and Melilla form the European Union’s only land borders with Africa. While some human rights groups decry the rejection of refugees — while ignoring the explosion of abuses committed against European citizens by Muslim refugees — Spain remains dedicated to its homeland security:
Spain insists it has the right to defend the territories and the 170,000 Spaniards living in them — notably against the threat of Islamic extremists crossing the border from Morocco.
“Hundreds of migrants try to storm border into Spain’s enclave of Ceuta”, by Jose Antonio Sempere, Reuters, January 1, 2017:
At least 800 sub-Saharan African migrants tried to cross into Spain’s North African enclave of Ceuta from Morocco on Sunday by storming a border fence, though most were eventually turned back, the Spanish and Moroccan governments said.
Dozens of migrants made it to the top of the six-metre barbed wire fence early on Sunday before being lifted down by cranes, footage from local TV station Faro TV showed.
Spain said about 1,100 migrants attempted the crossing. Only two were allowed into Ceuta to be taken to hospital while the rest were returned to Morocco, the Spanish government said in a statement.
Five Spanish police and 50 from Morocco were injured, the government added, after migrants used rocks and metal bars to try and break through gates to access the fence and clashed with authorities.
Morocco’s interior ministry reported that some 800 migrants had tried to storm the enclave, and that all had been arrested. It said 10 members of its security forces were seriously wounded.
“From now on those making such attempts will be presented before the competent judicial authorities who will decree their expulsion from the kingdom (of Morocco) or heavier penalties, according the gravity of the act,” the ministry said in a statement.
Spain’s two enclaves in Morocco, Ceuta and Melilla, are often used as entry points into Europe for African migrants, who either climb over their border fences or try to swim along the coast.
Spain has drawn criticism from human rights groups for allowing some migrants to be immediately turned back to Morocco in such incidents. They argue that skipping the lengthier deportation procedures deprives people of the opportunity to claim asylum.
In early December more than 400 sub-Saharan African migrants managed to force their way over the Ceuta border fence…..