Morocco's Interior Ministry has announced a significant reinforcement of security along its borders with the Spanish exclaves of Ceuta and Melilla, warning that anyone attempting to cross illegally will be stopped, arrested, and potentially face criminal prosecution. The move comes in response to a new wave of social media posts — circulating on TikTok, Instagram, and Facebook — calling for mass border crossings on 15 August, a public holiday in Spain. Posts have falsely claimed that the Fnideq-Ceuta border crossing would be open that day.

The ministry's spokesman, Rachid El Khalfi, said authorities had "detected over the last days the circulation of publications and anonymous messages on social media inciting the organisation of collective, illegal crossing attempts" and that "all necessary measures were taken to counter all attempts at illegal passage." A group of individuals suspected of spreading the incitement online has been summoned for investigation, and legal proceedings are expected to follow. Seven Moroccan taxi drivers were also sentenced earlier this month — receiving up to six months in prison and fines of around $1,070 each — for ferrying people to the border, though Morocco's national taxi union condemned the punishments as harsh and disproportionate.

The heightened alert follows a dramatic episode in late July, when approximately 72,000 people crossed into Ceuta irregularly over just a few days, entering both by land and by sea across the narrow strait separating Morocco from the enclave on the North African coast. Ceuta and Melilla are two small Spanish-administered territories surrounded by Moroccan territory, and as part of the European Union, they represent a highly sought entry point for people seeking to reach Europe. The scale of the late-July crossing shocked observers on both sides of the Mediterranean. The Moroccan government drew sharp criticism for remaining publicly silent for four days in the immediate aftermath. The death toll remains disputed: Moroccan authorities confirmed 11 bodies recovered, Spain reported at least 80 deaths, and a Spanish human rights NGO estimated the toll at no fewer than 141.

The vast majority of those who entered have since been returned to Morocco by Spanish and local forces. However, according to Spanish authorities, around 5,000 people remain in Ceuta — including approximately 2,500 unaccompanied minors, who cannot be deported under Spanish law, and up to 2,500 potential asylum seekers. Morocco has urged Madrid to accelerate the return of the children. The episode has reignited debate about migration management in the western Mediterranean and placed renewed diplomatic pressure on both governments to coordinate a longer-term response before another potential surge materialises on 15 August.