The Minister of Justice of Morocco, Abdellatif Ouahbi, on Friday claimed Morocco's "historical and geographical right" over Ceuta and Melilla. In an interview with the Moroccan public channel 2M, he called for dialogue with Spain to address their future and achieve their "return to the homeland." The interview took place in the context of the entry into force on Thursday of a new law on the legal profession in Morocco, but the most striking statement was about relations between Morocco and Spain. Ouahbi assured that the issue of Ceuta and Melilla must remain a matter of dialogue between the two countries.

This summer's migration crisis has once again placed Ceuta and Melilla at the center of the political debate between Spain and Morocco. In an interview with the Arab television channel Asharq News, the Moroccan Minister of Justice, Abdellatif Ouahbi, acknowledged on Wednesday that the claim of sovereignty over both cities "remains on the table," although he called for "calm" and a long-term solution through dialogue. "Inside Ceuta there are Moroccans and there are Spaniards, and we continue to hold onto our territories," Ouahbi stated.

In recent days, anonymous posts have been appearing on social media promoting a new mass entry into Ceuta this Saturday. To prevent this, both Madrid and Rabat have mobilized. "By providing ourselves with more personnel and material resources, and with a deployment of the armed forces," explained the Minister of the Interior, Fernando Grande-Marlaska, this Thursday. "We will continue to implement the necessary personnel to help return to normality as soon as possible and to prevent events like those of July 30 from happening again," he added.

A ruling by the Supreme Court (TS) confirmed this Wednesday that the immigration law does not allow "hot returns" of migrants attempting to reach Spain by swimming. The court distinguishes these returns from the specific regulations for the Melilla fence, where migrants are not considered to have legally entered Spain until they cross the security line and are in the hands of agents, which allows them to be returned immediately to the Moroccan authorities. With this ruling, the court establishes a precedent based on the case of an Algerian who was trying to reach Ceuta by swimming and was handed over to the Moroccan authorities.

The Prosecutor's Office will open an investigation into the dozens of deaths at the Melilla fence. The attorney general of the State, Dolores Delgado, has signed a decree this Tuesday in which she orders the coordinating prosecutor for foreigners, Beatriz Sánchez, to find out the "circumstances of the events that occurred last June 25 at the border of Melilla". "According to journalistic reports, a minimum of 23 people lost their lives in Moroccan territory and many others were injured", the statement made public by the public prosecutor's office notes. Delgado's decision is based on the "transcendence and seriousness of the facts, which could affect human rights and fundamental rights of individuals, as well as the uniqueness and complexity of the investigation," the Prosecutor's Office adds.

Melilla has experienced the fourth consecutive night of migratory pressure on its border perimeter, the first with the Spanish army deployed to reinforce surveillance and control, reports Efe. Unlike the last two nights, in which attempts to enter could be thwarted, this Thursday night part of those who have managed to approach the border perimeter at different points have been able to access the city. There is no official data on how many people have participated, but the Home Affairs Minister, Fernando Grande-Marlaska, has mentioned that around thirty have succeeded. Marlaska has assured that all of them will be "located" and "returned" to Morocco.