Rabat– Moroccan authorities detained 148 people suspected of attempting irregular migration in and around the northern city of Fnideq on Saturday, as security operations continued to prevent crossings toward the Spanish enclave of Ceuta.
According to an updated security assessment, the arrests had reached 148 by 1 p.m. local time. The detainees included 128 nationals from sub-Saharan African countries and 20 Moroccan nationals.
The security operations began in the early hours of Saturday and are being carried out by Moroccan public security forces in coordination with local authorities and other security agencies.
Authorities said the operations remain ongoing as part of efforts to curb irregular migration attempts in the area.
The security source also said that no mass entry of irregular migrants into Ceuta had been recorded on Saturday.
Moroccan security authorities have arrested 61 people accused of promoting calls on social media for a mass border crossing planned for August 15, as part of intensified efforts to prevent irregular migration attempts.
The calls circulating online urged people to organize a collective crossing on Saturday, prompting security services to launch cyber-monitoring operations to identify those behind the campaign.
According to a security source, the arrests resulted from proactive operations targeting individuals involved in promoting the calls through social media platforms.
Cyber-monitoring operations will continue to identify and apprehend others involved in online incitement to mass migration, the source said.
The digital operations are being conducted alongside sustained security deployments on the ground aimed at preventing irregular crossings and dismantling networks involved in human trafficking and the organization of irregular migration.
