Algerian Radio
Moroccan authorities have actively encouraged thousands of people to cross the border into the Spanish city of Ceuta, international media outlets report, arguing that the Makhzen is using the illegal migration card as a tool to pressure Spain.
The British newspaper The Telegraph, citing information from Western intelligence services, asserts that Morocco facilitated the passage of 60,000 migrants into Ceuta as a means of political pressure on Spain.
The media outlet also quotes Haizam Amirah Fernandez, director of the Center for Contemporary Arab Studies in Madrid, who believes that "the crossing of such a large number of people from Morocco to Ceuta would not have been possible without the Moroccan authorities having prior knowledge or without them allowing such a phenomenon to occur."
Former U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Zalmay Khalilzad reminded the newspaper that "Morocco has previously used migrants as a pressure tool to obtain concessions from Madrid."
The newspaper recalls that in May 2021, at least 8,000 illegal migrants entered Ceuta following a diplomatic dispute between Rabat and Madrid.
Approximately 60,000 migrants arrived in Ceuta within 48 hours, by swimming or by land, representing a record figure, The Telegraph highlights. According to Spanish authorities, 67 migrants died during the crossing.
Similarly, the American newspaper The New York Times, which gathered testimonies from several young people who made the crossing to the Spanish enclave, highlights the direct involvement of Moroccan authorities.
The young people interviewed claim that Moroccan authorities opened the border on their side.
Ayoub, a 24-year-old, told The New York Times reporters that Moroccan authorities simply "opened the border and let everyone pass."
Youssef, 26, maintains that he was encouraged by Moroccan police officers to cross over to the Spanish side. "They kept saying: 'Go that way, go that way,'" pointing toward the Spanish border, he recalled.
Mohammed, 37, stated that he had heard through social media about the possibility of crossing into Spain. He added that when he approached the border, Moroccan police officers encouraged him.
The German newspaper Die Welt echoes this, reporting that Morocco made a deliberate decision to facilitate the passage of migrants into Spanish territory.
Die Welt noted that this crisis concerns all of Europe, as it reveals the fragility of the European Union's border protection system.
