Moroccan authorities early Friday prevented thousands of irregular migrants from heading toward the border fence with the Spanish enclave of Ceuta.
An Anadolu correspondent said security forces stopped many young people and transported them outside the northern Moroccan city of Fnideq, while continuing to pursue others attempting to reach Ceuta.
The move came after around 1,500-2,000 irregular migrants, most of them Moroccans, reached Ceuta by swimming over the past 10 days, according to Spanish media.
On Thursday, Spain's Interior Ministry said Madrid and Rabat had agreed to strengthen coordination and accelerate the return of migrants who entered Ceuta irregularly.
The development also follows a ruling by Spain's Supreme Court earlier this month that migrants intercepted at sea while attempting to swim into Ceuta or Melilla cannot be returned immediately.
Moroccan authorities have not commented on the agreement, the mechanisms for returning migrants, or reports of deaths linked to the crossings.
Many migrants from Morocco and other African countries attempt irregular crossings to Europe, driven by economic and social hardships.
According to Morocco's Economic, Social and Environmental Council, around 1.5 million people aged 15-24 were neither employed nor in education or training as of May 2024.
Morocco's unemployment rate declined to 13% in 2025 from 13.3% a year earlier, with nearly 193,000 jobs created, according to the High Commission for Planning.
