Moroccan activist threatens King Felipe VI over Ceuta and Melilla visit

Yahya Yahya, a former Moroccan senator and mayor, has issued a direct threat against King Felipe VI regarding a potential visit to the Spanish autonomous cities of Ceuta and Melilla. In a video released via the Moroccan media outlet Hespress, Yahya characterized the cities as ‘occupied presidios’ and claimed that Moroccans are prepared to ‘shed every last drop of blood’ to defend what he considers Moroccan territory.

Yahya Yahya is a known figure in the territorial dispute, having previously led the Committee for the Liberation of Ceuta and Melilla. He has a history of involvement in provocations regarding Moroccan sovereignty, including a 2012 incident involving the Peñón de Vélez de la Gomera. His statements represent an escalation in the rhetoric used by radical sectors in Morocco concerning the status of these Spanish territories.