Alhucemas Islands
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The Alhucemas Islands (Template:Langx, Template:Langx) are a group of three islands off the coast of Al Hoceima in the Alboran Sea.
The islands are part of Spain's Plazas de soberanía and is under Spanish administration, however they are also claimed by Morocco as part of its territory alongside other Spanish overseas territories in Northern Africa.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Overview
[edit]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 Template:Convert off the Moroccan town of Al Hoceima, or Alhucemas (former Villa Sanjurjo), Template:Convert east of Ceuta and Template:Convert west of Melilla. The aggregate land area of the group of three islands is 4.6 ha or Template:Convert.
- Peñón de Alhucemas (Template:IPA, "Lavender Rock", Template:Coord) is a tiny rock island, measuring Template:Convert east-west and up to Template:Convert north-south, with an area 1.5 ha or Template:Convert, and a height of Template:Convert. The rock is entirely occupied by a fort, several houses, and a church. It is one of several peñones, or rock-fortresses, off the coast of Northern Africa.
- Isla de Tierra (Template:Coord) is a steep, Template:Convert high rocky platform, Template:Convert north of the Moroccan beach, Template:Convert long northeast–southwest, and up to Template:Convert wide, yielding an area of 1.7 ha or Template:Convert.
- Isla de Mar (Template:Coord) is a flat, Template:Convert high islet, with its western end Template:Convert north of Isla de Tierra, Template:Convert long east–west, up to Template:Convert wide, yielding an area of 1.4 ha or Template:Convert.
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. 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.<ref name = ElPais>Ceberia, Monica et al (17 September 2012) The last remains of the empire El Pais in English, Retrieved 24 September 2012</ref>
On 29 August 2012, 19 sub-Saharan immigrants traversed the short expanse of water between Morocco and the Isla de Tierra.<ref name="ElPais" /> 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.<ref>Ceberio Balaza, Monica, et al (7 September 2012) 81 inmigrantes tratan de forzar su entrada en España por Isla de Tierra (81 immigrants try to force entrance into Spain via the Isla de Tierra) El Pais Politica (in Spanish), Retrieved 24 September 2012</ref> 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.<ref name="ElPais" /> 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.<ref>Ceberio Balaza, Monica (7 September 2012) El Ejército ‘ocupa’ Isla de Tierra (The army "occupies" Isla de Tierra El Pais Politica (in Spanish), Retrieved 24 September 2012</ref> 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.<ref>Diez, Anabel et al (6 September 2012) La Defensora pide aclaraciones a Interior por la entrega de inmigrantes a Marruecos (The Ombudsman asks for clarification from the Interior Ministry concerning the delivery of immigrants to Morocco) El Pais Politica (in Spanish), Retrieved 24 September 2012</ref>
See also
[edit]References
[edit]Template:Administrative divisions of Spain Template:Outlying territories of European countries Template:Countries and territories of North Africa