Kathmandu— More than 100 migrants were arrested by Moroccan police while attempting to reach the Spanish enclave of Ceuta over the weekend, amid reports of a new disinformation campaign encouraging migration to the city. The attempted crossing follows an event in late July where approximately 72,000 people entered Ceuta, resulting in at least 96 deaths, and comes as Spanish officials face criticism for their response to the ongoing situation. Hundreds of police were deployed to confront the crowds traveling through mountainous terrain near Fnideq, a coastal town in northern Morocco, using tear gas to disperse them.

Recent Influx and Arrests

Footage circulating online on Saturday showed large groups of people, primarily from sub-Saharan Africa, heading towards Ceuta. Moroccan authorities had previously stated their intention to prevent further attempts to cross into the enclave. According to a source within Morocco’s Ministry of Interior cited by Reuters, at least 111 arrests were made during the confrontation. Local news outlet Le360 reported that as many as 294 people were arrested on Saturday afternoon, including 46 Moroccan citizens and the remainder from sub-Saharan Africa.

Political Criticism in Spain

Jaime de los Santos, a Spanish lawmaker with the People’s Party (PP), criticized Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez for his handling of the crisis. De los Santos accused Sanchez of inaction while on holiday at the Royal Residence of La Mareta in Lanzarote, stating that sixteen days had passed since over 80,000 Moroccan citizens entered Spain without a sufficient response from the prime minister.

Ongoing Presence in Ceuta

Despite efforts to control the flow of migrants, Spanish Interior Minister Fernando Grande-Marlaska reported on Thursday that approximately 5,000 migrants remain in Ceuta. The recent surge follows an earlier influx in late July where a significant number of people attempted to enter the autonomous city, with tragic consequences for many.

Moroccan authorities continue to work to prevent further crossings into Ceuta, while Spanish officials grapple with managing the remaining migrant population and addressing political criticism surrounding their response.

(With inputs from Al Jazeera)

Originally published on abcnews.com.np.