Moroccan authorities detained 148 irregular migrants Saturday in and around the northern city of Fnideq after they attempted a mass crossing into the Spanish city of Ceuta, according to officials.
A Fnideq provincial official said in a statement that 128 of those detained were from African countries and 20 were Moroccan nationals.
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, intervention 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 came 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.
Ceuta and Melilla, along with the Chafarinas Islands and several other rocky islets in the Mediterranean, are administered by Spain. Morocco considers them “occupied Moroccan enclaves.”
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.
