Morocco's border services were to deliberately prevent thousands of migrants trying to get to Spanish Ceuta on 30 and 31 July. As the Minister of Justice Abdellatif Ouhbi acknowledged, it was to avoid mass casualties.
In his speech to Al-Arabija, the Moroccan minister acknowledged that the services had not taken any action to halt migrants, as this could have disastrous consequences and lead to many fatalities. He added that among the storming border were many young Moroccans convinced that Ceuta was part of Morocco.
The Minister's statements fall into the increasing tension between Rabat and Madrid. Ouhbi had previously spoken of “the Moroccan historical and geographical law” to Ceuta and Melilla. The Spanish MFA replied that both exclaves are an integral part of Spain.
About 80,000 migrants were to enter Ceuta by the end of July. Over 70,000 later returned to Morocco, but the humanitarian and organisational crisis is inactive ongoing.
