Moroccan warships reportedly entered Spanish waters off Ceuta in July, according to El Pais

Moroccan warships entered Ceuta's territorial waters during and after the July influx of migrants, committing a rare violation of Spanish sovereignty in this enclave in North Africa claimed by Rabat, El Pais wrote on Monday.

On the eve of the first royal visit to Ceuta since 2007, which could put a strain on the historically delicate relations between Spain and Morocco, the daily assures that at least one Moroccan frigate and several patrol boats entered Spanish waters without prior authorization, citing sources with knowledge of these incidents which remained anonymous.

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“An intentional violation”

“It was not (...) a simple passage or accidental entry but rather an intentional and repeated violation of territorial waters, for which there are few precedents,” wrote El Pais. “Morocco's naval incursions continued during the first days of August, amid rising tensions, and almost caused a collision between warships from the two countries,” the daily continued.

Only the intervention of the Spanish Navy and the Ministry of Defense put an end to the Moroccan incursions, according to this newspaper. Questions persist as to the role that Rabat could have played in the unprecedented and deadly rush of more than 70,000 migrants from Morocco to Ceuta on July 30 and 31.

The Spanish right accuses the Sherifian kingdom of having orchestrated these entries for political reasons, the latter claiming sovereignty over Ceuta and the other Spanish territory in North Africa, Melilla. For Spain's socialist Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, who has worked to improve relations with Rabat during his eight years in power, there is no "solid evidence" to support these accusations.

A cautious exit from the silence

The King of Morocco Mohammed VI broke his silence on this subject on Friday by denouncing “the irresponsible statements made by certain political and media circles and their blatant exploitation of the situation”, in a reference to Spanish criticism. He declared before Parliament that his country's partnership with Spain was "a sovereign choice and a voluntary commitment, which cannot be subject to any pressure or threat whatsoever, nor to any form of blackmail."

El Pais clarified that its sources refused to speculate on possible deliberate coordination between Moroccan naval incursions and the influx of migrants but added that the incident had “reignited tensions”. The Spanish Ministry of Defense did not respond Monday evening to a request for comment made by AFP. Tuesday's visit to Ceuta by King Felipe VI and Queen Letizia has a strong symbolic significance. The trip made in 2007 by former monarch Juan Carlos triggered a diplomatic crisis.