Morocco Claims Sovereignty over Ceuta and Melilla; Spain: 'They Are Spanish and Will Never Be Handed Over'
Two weeks after some 72,000 migrants stormed into Ceuta, Morocco's Justice Minister Abdellatif Ouahbi declared that Morocco has not relinquished its sovereignty claim over Ceuta and Melilla. Spanish Defense Minister Margarita Robles responded: 'They are super-Spanish, untouchable.' Madrid's Foreign Ministry stressed that Spain's territorial integrity is not up for discussion. Morocco announced heightened border security following calls for a mass crossing on August 15.
Two weeks after the mass incursion of some 72,000 migrants into the Spanish enclave of Ceuta, Morocco has revived its sovereignty claim over Ceuta and Melilla. Moroccan Justice Minister Abdellatif Ouahbi said in an interview with Al-Sharq channel that Morocco believes sovereignty over the two cities should be its own, and that the issue arises in talks with the Spaniards. This was the first time Rabat publicly raised the matter since the border assault, in which at least 96 people died. Most migrants were returned to Morocco, but thousands remain in Ceuta awaiting status checks; many, especially minors, are expected to be allowed to settle in Spain and the EU. Spain's Defense Minister Margarita Robles responded during her visit to Ceuta: 'Ceuta and Melilla are not just Spanish – they are super-Spanish, and untouchable.' Madrid's Foreign Ministry stated that Spain's territorial integrity 'has not been, and will never be, a matter for discussion with any party.' Spain rejects the Moroccan claim, which views the enclaves as occupied territories since Morocco's independence in 1956. Meanwhile, Morocco's Interior Ministry announced heightened security on the borders with Ceuta and Melilla, following online calls for a mass crossing on August 15, and warned it would prosecute organizers and participants. The Madrid government refrained from blaming Rabat for the breach, praised cooperation in returning migrants, while blaming human trafficking networks.