'We'll meet there on August 15': The call to young Moroccans that is rattling Ceuta

Spanish authorities are bracing for another wave of incursions into Ceuta after calls circulated on social media urging young Moroccans to gather at the border on August 15. The concern follows the July 30 event when tens of thousands crossed from Morocco into Ceuta, sparking the worst migration crisis in years. Madrid and Ceuta's leadership disagree on how many remain in the city.

Spanish authorities are preparing for another wave of incursions into Ceuta, following calls on social media urging young Moroccans to gather at the border on August 15. According to El País, thousands of Moroccan users discussed in Facebook and WhatsApp groups whether another wave would occur, and the message 'We'll meet there on August 15' appeared in the conversation. A further check published by the newspaper on Saturday showed that the activity had not disappeared but had become less visible, partly through closed groups and communication channels that are harder to monitor. The concern comes after tens of thousands crossed the border from Morocco to Ceuta on July 30, an event that became the most severe migration crisis the enclave has experienced in recent years. Most migrants have since returned to Morocco, but there is a sharp dispute between the central government in Madrid and Ceuta's leadership over the number of those who remain in the city. Meanwhile, Morocco's interior ministry claimed that the previous events were a coordinated operation fueled by disinformation and human smuggling networks. Morocco's National Human Rights Council also noted that social media played a central role in spreading misleading information and driving crowds toward the border. As of now, there is no indication that another wave of similar magnitude to late July will actually occur, but the very renewal of calls online and the trauma from the previous event lead authorities on both sides of the border to view August 15 as another test point.