In the coastal town of Moulay Bousselham, located approximately 135 kilometers (84 miles) from Fnideq, Aldellatif, an agricultural worker, is engulfed in anxiety over the fate of his 17-year-old brother, who set out with two friends in a daring attempt to swim to the Spanish exclave of Ceuta. This recent surge in migration has seen more than 60,000 individuals reach the territory, although the overwhelming majority were swiftly turned back to Fnideq, where buses stood ready to reunite them with their families.
While Spanish authorities have reported 72 fatalities during this perilous journey, the Moroccan Association for Human Rights (AMDH) has indicated that the actual death toll may be closer to 130, with many individuals still unaccounted for. Abdellatif, 27, shared the harrowing news he received from his brother's friends, who informed him that they had set off the previous day. Unfortunately, his brother injured himself during the swim, leading to their separation, deepening Abdellatif’s fears about his brother's survival. “My worst fear is going back without him,” he lamented. “I don’t understand why he did this, and I am bewildered by the silence of the authorities.”
Abdellatif criticized the government for its inaction, emphasizing the need for raising awareness among youth about the perils of irregular migration and the misinformation proliferating on social media. Prior to the mass exodus from Fnideq, rumors had circulated that the border would be open, accompanied by images of young individuals successfully crossing by foot or by swimming.
Families in Desperate Search
At the border fence, distraught parents gathered, desperately seeking reassurance from those who had returned. They displayed photographs of their loved ones, imploring for any news. One mother expressed relief upon hearing her son had been spotted in Ceuta on Saturday. Rachida Mamakh, 48, her eyes swollen from tears, took to questioning every returnee about her 23-year-old son, Zouhair. He had reached out to her on Thursday, indicating he had made it to Ceuta, but since then, there had been no communication. “I pray to God for his safe return,” she implored, having traveled from Fez, which is around 200 kilometers away. Rachida called on the Moroccan authorities and King Mohammad VI to “do the impossible to bring back our children.” She recounted that Zouhair was unemployed, had learned German, and harbored dreams of moving to Germany for a better life.
Similarly, Mohammed, a 27-year-old plumber, voiced his concerns for his two cousins, aged 18 and 22, who had successfully crossed into Ceuta. “They are safe and sound, but there are gangs of young people pursuing migrants there,” he reported. He recalled advising them during their last conversation on Thursday night to seek assistance from the authorities for repatriation. However, since then, he has heard nothing from them, prompting him to embark on a search for their whereabouts. Like many other families, he expressed confusion over their decision to undertake such a risky journey, noting, “Their parents have agricultural land and live well.”
As reported by france24.com.
