Ceuta and Melilla are too Spanish, Madrid declares

Ceuta and Melilla are located in North Africa, but are part of Spain. Morocco considers them territories under Spanish occupation and demands their transfer to Rabat.

Spanish Defense Minister Margarita Robles stated that the cities are “not only Spanish, but extremely Spanish” and noted that any attack on them would mean an attack on Spain.

The topic became active again after the Ceuta border crisis at the end of July, when about 72 thousand migrants briefly crossed the border. At least 96 people were killed in the mass invasion.

Meanwhile, Morocco has beefed up border security with Ceuta and Melilla amid calls for a new mass crossing attempt on August 15.