After an August marked by the arrival of Moroccan minors swimming in Ceuta, Melilla On Tuesday evening, several hundred young people, mostly minors, attempted to enter the country. The presence of Moroccan riot police and the intermittent closure of the border prevented the entry of those who had gathered on Moroccan territory.
According to the Government Delegation in Melilla, “in view of the presence of a large group of people in the vicinity of Beni-Enzar who presumably wanted to enter Melilla, the Moroccan authorities have decided to reinforce the security measures at the border crossing by using the gates intermittently.” According to Melilla sources, between 400 and 500 young people tried to enter. The incident has affected the transit of people and vehicles in the middle of Operation Crossing the Straits.
According to Moroccan media, police officers in the town of Beni-Enzar have thwarted “a massive attempt at illegal immigration” and arrested at least 72 Moroccan immigrants. The police had detected posts on social media “inciting the implementation of a massive illegal immigration operation from the town of Beni-Enzar.”
So far in 2024, Melilla has recorded the arrival of 58 immigrants by land, 44.8% less than in the same period last year. So far, Ceuta has seen a notable increase, with 1,917 arrivals since the beginning of the year, equivalent to an increase of 194.9%.
This Tuesday, the Council of Ministers approved a budget of 35 million for the care of unaccompanied migrant children and adolescents in 2024, of which 15 million are for the Canary Islands, Ceuta and Melilla and another 20 million for transfers between autonomous communities.
According to the Executive, this is a first aid and is aimed at giving economic support to the main territories of arrival under stress. In this first block of aid, the Canary Islands will receive six million euros and each autonomous city 4.5 million.