Spain rejects discussing sovereignty of enclaves with Morocco
Spain says the enclaves’ status is not open to negotiation as Morocco renews sovereignty claims and warns of another migrant crossing attempt.
- On Wednesday, Justice Minister Abdellatif Ouahbi told 'Asharq News' that Morocco maintains its historic claim to Ceuta and Melilla, stating the issue "remains on the table" during bilateral meetings as part of a long-term dialogue strategy.
- A preliminary report from the National Human Rights Council released August 8 accused Spanish security forces of mistreating migrants who entered Ceuta on 30 and 31 July during a mass border crossing.
- Approximately 80,000 people crossed the border into Ceuta in just 48 hours, and the CNDH report cites migrant testimonies detailing assaults by Spanish officers, "especially in places beyond the reach of cameras."
- The CNDH also blames "local authorities" for business closures, though business owners initiated these moves, and the council previously targeted Spain in 2022 regarding the Melilla border fence, where at least 23 people died, pinning responsibility on Spanish authorities.
- Neither Ceuta nor Melilla has ever been Moroccan territory despite their location in Africa, as Ceuta came under Spanish sovereignty in 1580 during the Iberian Union, while Melilla has been Spanish since 1497, when it was seized by the Crown of Castile.
62 Articles
62 Articles
Die Presse
watsonThe EU Border Guard Agency Frontex recorded a decrease of 37 percent compared to the previous year. The main escape routes lead across the Mediterranean Sea.
VARSAVIA (POLAND) (ITALPRESS) ==In the first seven months of 2026, the irregular crossing of the borders towards the EU decreased by 37%. The European Border and Coast Guard Agency (Frontex) reports this. During the same period taken into account, some 61,000 crossings were recorded. The busiest routes were those of the eastern and central Mediterranean. Western Africa's route experienced the most marked decline (-60%), and according to Frontex,…
Irregular crossings of the EU's external borders decreased by 37% in the first seven months of 2026 compared to the same period last year, at around 61 thousand surveys. (ANSA)
ussanews.com
Daily Telegraph NZSpain rejects Morocco’s claim to sovereignty over enclaves
Ceuta and Melilla are “untouchable,” Spanish Defense Minister Margarita Robles has said Spain will not discuss the sovereignty of Ceuta and Melilla with Morocco, Spanish Defense Minister Margarita Robles has said after Rabat publicly renewed its claim to the North African enclaves. The exchange comes nearly two weeks after tens of thousands of people crossed...
Spain has categorically rejected any discussion of the status of Ceuta and Melilla cities, after the Moroccan Minister of Justice said that the problem of the two enclaves "remains on the table of discussions between Madrid and Rabat. Spanish diplomatic sources have conveyed that the sovereignty of the country over the two territories is "more than any doubt" and will not be negotiated.
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