MREs Blocked at Morocco-Melilla Border Crossing

The border remained closed Friday morning, preventing the passage of numerous vehicles between Morocco and Melilla. Beni Enzar is currently the only operational border crossing of the Spanish autonomous city.

On Bladi.net : Massive Border Delay: Hundreds of Moroccan Expats Stranded for Hours at Melilla Crossing

The closure was decided after the outbreak, Thursday around 10 p.m., of entry attempts from several points of the border perimeter, notably Barrio Chino and Farhana. The National Police, Guardia Civil and local police were mobilized for much of the night.

Marhaba halted at the border

This situation directly disrupted the movements of MREs who were returning to Morocco or heading back to Europe as part of Operation Marhaba. Hundreds of people and vehicles were waiting to cross the border, reports Europa Press.

The president of Melilla, Juan José Imbroda, stated that approximately 400 people had managed to enter the city. However, the Spanish government delegation contested the reliability of this initial estimate, established while the security operation was still underway.

On Bladi.net : Long Delays Frustrate Moroccan Expatriates at Melilla Border Crossing

No final report had been communicated Friday morning. Spanish authorities asked the population not to approach the border and to rely only on information disseminated through official channels.