The Spanish army carried out a military operation of ” surveillance ” and of ” deterrence in the enclave of Melilla, as part of what Madrid calls ” permanent presence operations in sensitive places of national sovereignty “.
According to Spanish media sources, “Spanish military units with expeditionary projection, trained to carry out missions by conventional troops, the Group of Regulars affiliated with the Spanish Army in this case, has developed in recent days a deployment operation in the occupied city of Melilla. The aim being “to deter possible unwanted interference in some of the most sensitive areas of the “country” by land, sea and air“.
The presence of Spanish personnel ” near the border of the two presidencies of Sebta and Melilla is however common “, indicates the staff of the defense which specifies that ” the Regulars of the General Command“ carried out area control practices in the enclave of Melilla, within the framework of presence, surveillance and deterrence operations », without specifying that it was the nature of the “undesirable interference“, terrorism, illegal immigration or others. The staff contenting itself with indicating a ” mission of monitoring and securing the borders from any external danger ».
The same data indicate that “The Spanish army considers the borders with the city of Nador as particularly sensitive to national interests. They not only mark the dividing line between Spain and Morocco, but also between the European Union and the outside world”.
And to add, “this is why it is considered a particularly sensitive area for national interests and for those of Brussels. In this way, the army assumes the task of perpetual existence”. According to the Spanish Armed Forces “the Army intervenes every day of the year, and at any hour of the day, while the units and commanders of the operational structure of the armed forces are on permanent alert to deal with any threat to security in areas of sovereignty and national interest “.
There are several military units in the occupied territory of Melilla, the second cavalry regiment “Tercio Duque de Alba“, the 3 cavalry regimentth Montesa, the 30thth regiment mixed artillery, as well as the 7th engineer regiment, the 23rd logistics unit, the general command battalion in Ceuta and the 54th Group of regulars in the enclave. In addition to these numbers as well, the Spanish navy was also called upon. As of this summer, it will deploy a vessel over 31 meters long near the waters of Melilla.
” The Spanish army deploys its units to defend areas of strategic importance, such as rocks and occupied islands near the Moroccan coast. In the same way, different units frequently test their abilities in the south of the peninsula or in the Canary Islands “, we still say. The will of Rabat and Madrid, after the recent bilateral summit, being to ” overcome this “excitement“, discussions on sensitive and conflicting issues “, in the forefront of which the question of Sebta and Melilla occupied, considered as a “ national priority on both sides of the shore.