In Fnideq, Morocco, people are once again hoping to reach Ceuta
In the Moroccan town of Fnideq, located near the Spanish enclave of Ceuta, some people are still hoping to cross the border following a mass attempt at the end of July. According to estimates, about 72,000 people crossed from Morocco into Ceuta on July 30, but most of them later returned to Morocco, Deutsche Welle reports.
According to the publication, approximately 100 people died during the July attempt. Between 2,000 and 8,000 of those who managed to enter the Spanish enclave remain in Ceuta. According to DW, they are living in difficult conditions: many people are sleeping on the beach, awaiting a decision from Spanish authorities regarding their future.
After calls for a new mass attempt to cross the border spread on social media in mid-August, Moroccan and Spanish authorities stepped up security measures near Ceuta and the other Spanish enclave, Melilla. Eyewitnesses reported numerous checkpoints, patrol boats off the coast, and water cannons at the border. Moroccan police stated that they had detained 111 people who were attempting to enter Ceuta. There was no mass crossing on August 15.
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People from other cities in Morocco are arriving in Fnideq after learning about the potential crossing through social media posts. In particular, 22-year-old Ahmed Amhid, who arrived from the city of Oued Zem, told DW that he sees no opportunities for employment or a future in his hometown. Moroccan media and culture expert Ahmed al-Dafrī attributes the influx of people seeking to cross the border to digital mobilization, as videos of previous attempts spread rapidly on social media.
At the same time, not all residents of Fnideq want to leave Morocco. Local merchants Mohamed al-Dami and Munir Hamdush described attempts to reach Ceuta by sea as too dangerous. Hamdush also noted that the city needs an economic revival, as the decline in tourism has affected seasonal trade.
