Fez – Violent clashes erupted on Tuesday in the border crossing with the Spanish enclave of Ceuta. The incindet left two Moroccans dead and 43 injured among them 23 Spanish security officers.
The 20 Moroccan injured were transferred to a medical center in M’Diq and Fnideq.
The clashes broke out between 10 am and 1 pm after Spanish authorities decided to close the border crossing in an attempt to cope with the avalanche of contraband dealers who were heading to the Spanish enclave. According to Spanish media, around 6,000 contrabandist gathered at the border crossing on Tuesday morning.
The incident happened on the second day of King Felipe VI’s first official visit to Morocco since he ascended the throne following the abdication of his father, former King Juan Carlos I.
Ceuta and Melilla, which are two Spanish enclave in northern Morocco, have often been a bone of contention in the relations between Morocco and Spain. The Moroccan government has always questioned Spanish sovereignty over the two enclaves and called on Madrid to open negotiation on their future.
