Morocco confirms online disinformation campaign behind mass Ceuta border rush

The Moroccan Ministry of the Interior confirmed an online disinformation campaign instigated a mass border rush into Ceuta last week, involving over 50,000 people, most of whom returned within 48 hours. Ministry Spokesperson Rachid Khalfi stated the crossings were not spontaneous but resulted from "the excessive exploitation of digital platforms, the dissemination of misleading information, the role of human trafficking networks, and incorrect interpretations of legal and administrative information." The Public Prosecutor's Office has launched an investigation to identify those responsible. A report by José María Gil Garre, Co-Director of the International Security Observatory, detailed the campaign's chronology, beginning July 8 with misinterpretations of a Spanish Supreme Court ruling, escalating through social media and messaging apps, and culminating in the mass entry attempt on July 30-31. The campaign, which originated from profiles in Algeria, Tunisia, and France, generated millions of impressions, primarily through Moroccan TikTok accounts and Algerian WhatsApp groups.