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The Alhucemas Islands (, ) are a group of three islands off the coast of
Spanish rule dates back to 1559, when the Saadis ceded several territories to Spain in exchange for Spanish help against Ottoman armies. In 1673, Spain sent a garrison to the island of Peñón de Alhucemas, and has permanently occupied it since then. The islands are also located near the landing place the Spanish and French expeditionary forces used in 1925 during the
The last remains of the empire
El Pais in English, Retrieved 24 September 2012 On 29 August 2012, 19 sub-Saharan immigrants traversed the short expanse of water between Morocco and the Isla de Tierra. These individuals camped on the island, hoping to somehow gain access to the Spanish mainland. They were shortly joined by an additional 68 immigrants on 2 September 2012. Refugees and illegal immigration from sub-Saharan nations have been a problem that Spain, and the European Union as a whole, has been trying to solve. Since the islets had an "undefined internal status", the immigrants did not benefit from the Spanish immigration laws and, under a joint operation, Spanish troops tended to the women, children, and medical needs of the immigrants, then turned them back over to Morocco. Moroccan forces promptly deported the individuals across the Algerian border. The Spanish Army has since stationed a small camp on the Isla de Tierra to discourage new attempts to illegally cross into Spanish territory. The handling and deportation of these individuals have been criticized by the Ombudsman of the Spanish Parliament, the Defensor del Pueblo, and by various NGOs and organizations.Diez, Anabel et al (6 September 2012
El Pais Politica (in Spanish), Retrieved 24 September 2012
The Alhucemas Islands (, ) are a group of three islands off the coast of Al Hoceima
Al Hoceima () is a city in the north of Morocco, on the northern edge of the Rif Mountains and on the Mediterranean coast. It is the capital city of the Al Hoceima Province. The city is a known tourist destination despite its small size. It has ...
in the Alboran Sea
The Alboran Sea is the westernmost portion of the Mediterranean Sea, lying between the Iberian Peninsula and the north of Africa (Spain on the north and Morocco and Algeria on the south). The Strait of Gibraltar, which lies at the west end of the ...
.
The islands are part of Spain's Plazas de soberanía
The (), meaning "strongholds of sovereignty", are a series of Spanish overseas territories scattered along the Mediterranean coast bordering Morocco, or that are closer to Africa than Europe. This term is used for those territories that have ...
and is under Spanish administration, however they are also claimed by Morocco
Morocco, officially the Kingdom of Morocco, is a country in the Maghreb region of North Africa. It has coastlines on the Mediterranean Sea to the north and the Atlantic Ocean to the west, and has land borders with Algeria to Algeria–Morocc ...
as part of its territory alongside other Spanish overseas territories in Northern Africa.
Overview
Peñón de Alhucemas, together with the islets of Isla de Mar and Isla de Tierra slightly to the west, form the Alhucemas Islands. They are located off the Moroccan town ofAl Hoceima
Al Hoceima () is a city in the north of Morocco, on the northern edge of the Rif Mountains and on the Mediterranean coast. It is the capital city of the Al Hoceima Province. The city is a known tourist destination despite its small size. It has ...
, or ''Alhucemas'' (former Villa Sanjurjo), east of Ceuta
Ceuta (, , ; ) is an Autonomous communities of Spain#Autonomous cities, autonomous city of Spain on the North African coast. Bordered by Morocco, it lies along the boundary between the Mediterranean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean. Ceuta is one of th ...
and west of Melilla
Melilla (, ; ) is an autonomous city of Spain on the North African coast. It lies on the eastern side of the Cape Three Forks, bordering Morocco and facing the Mediterranean Sea. It has an area of . It was part of the Province of Málaga un ...
. The aggregate land area of the group of three islands is 4.6 ha or .
*Peñón de Alhucemas (, "Lavender Rock", ) is a tiny rock island, measuring east-west and up to north-south, with an area 1.5 ha or , and a height of . The rock is entirely occupied by a fort
A fortification (also called a fort, fortress, fastness, or stronghold) is a military construction designed for the defense of territories in warfare, and is used to establish rule in a region during peacetime. The term is derived from La ...
, several houses, and a church. It is one of several '' peñones'', or rock-fortresses, off the coast of Northern Africa.
*Isla de Tierra () is a steep, high rocky platform, north of the Moroccan beach, long northeast–southwest, and up to wide, yielding an area of 1.7 ha or .
*Isla de Mar () is a flat, high islet, with its western end north of Isla de Tierra, long east–west, up to wide, yielding an area of 1.4 ha or .
Spanish rule dates back to 1559, when the Saadis ceded several territories to Spain in exchange for Spanish help against Ottoman armies. In 1673, Spain sent a garrison to the island of Peñón de Alhucemas, and has permanently occupied it since then. The islands are also located near the landing place the Spanish and French expeditionary forces used in 1925 during the Rif War
The Rif War (, , ) was an armed conflict fought from 1921 to 1926 between Spain (joined by France in 1924) and the Berber tribes of the mountainous Rif region of northern Morocco.
Led by Abd el-Krim, the Riffians at first inflicted several ...
. Morocco has contested Spanish sovereignty over the islets since Morocco received its independence in 1956.
In 2012 the Spanish military garrison in the fort on Peñón de Alhucemas comprised an infantry section of 25–30 men from the 32nd Mixed Artillery Regiment, plus personnel from the marine services with an inflatable boat for reaching supply vessels.Ceberia, Monica et al (17 September 2012The last remains of the empire
El Pais in English, Retrieved 24 September 2012 On 29 August 2012, 19 sub-Saharan immigrants traversed the short expanse of water between Morocco and the Isla de Tierra. These individuals camped on the island, hoping to somehow gain access to the Spanish mainland. They were shortly joined by an additional 68 immigrants on 2 September 2012. Refugees and illegal immigration from sub-Saharan nations have been a problem that Spain, and the European Union as a whole, has been trying to solve. Since the islets had an "undefined internal status", the immigrants did not benefit from the Spanish immigration laws and, under a joint operation, Spanish troops tended to the women, children, and medical needs of the immigrants, then turned them back over to Morocco. Moroccan forces promptly deported the individuals across the Algerian border. The Spanish Army has since stationed a small camp on the Isla de Tierra to discourage new attempts to illegally cross into Spanish territory. The handling and deportation of these individuals have been criticized by the Ombudsman of the Spanish Parliament, the Defensor del Pueblo, and by various NGOs and organizations.Diez, Anabel et al (6 September 2012
El Pais Politica (in Spanish), Retrieved 24 September 2012
See also
*Plazas de soberanía
The (), meaning "strongholds of sovereignty", are a series of Spanish overseas territories scattered along the Mediterranean coast bordering Morocco, or that are closer to Africa than Europe. This term is used for those territories that have ...
* List of Spanish colonial wars in Morocco
* Spanish Protectorate of Morocco
References
{{Countries and territories of North Africa Islands of Africa Islands of Spain Mediterranean islands Plazas de soberanía Territorial disputes of SpainAlhucemas Alhucemas is a Spanish name which may refer to:
*The Moroccan Rif city of Al Hoceima
*The Spanish Alhucemas Islands, including Peñón de Alhucemas
{{Geodis ...
Sea forts