Ceuta on high alert as social media calls prompt fears of renewed border rush

Spain and Morocco have intensified security operations around Ceuta following renewed social media campaigns urging coordinated mass border crossings on 15 August.

The heightened vigilance follows an incident in late July, when online misinformation falsely claiming that Spain had lifted border controls prompted tens of thousands of people to converge on the frontier, resulting in dozens of drowning deaths. In response to fresh online calls, Moroccan authorities have detained several suspects accused of instigating illegal entries.

Spanish security forces have deployed reinforcements, recalled military personnel from leave, and strengthened frontier barriers. Meanwhile, emergency services in the enclave continue to support hundreds of stranded individuals living in makeshift conditions along the coast as aid organisations distribute essential supplies.

Sources: Correctiv, Der Standard, FAZ, ORF, Tagesschau.