Spain has deployed surveillance and deterrence units in the city of Melilla. The aim is to guarantee the security of this territory claimed by Morocco.
Under the operational control of the Army Operations Command, these units carry out surveillance and deterrence missions in the autonomous city. Melilla, like Sebta or the Chafarinas Islands and the rock of Velez de la Gomera, are claimed by Morocco, which considers these territories to be relics of the colonial period. For its part, Spain maintains that these spaces are an integral part of its territory.
In recent years, Morocco has been investing in strengthening and modernizing its army. The kingdom has acquired significant advanced military equipment, including F-16 fighter jets, Apache helicopters, Patriot air defense systems, and armored vehicles from the United States, as well as surveillance and attack drones from Israel, China, and Turkey. A rearmament that worries Spain.
According to El Debate, four factors explain this rearmament of Morocco. These are the instability in the Sahel, plagued by struggles between terrorist groups and trafficking networks seeking to control this region, the crisis with Algeria with the Sahara issue in the background, the desire of the kingdom to strengthen its leadership in the region with the help of the United States and France, and greater participation in joint military operations.
