Yahya Yahya, head of the Committee for the Liberation of Ceuta and Melilla, has threatened violent resistance if King Felipe VI visits the Spanish-controlled cities. He calls them 'occupied presidios' and signals that protests could follow.
"If King Felipe VI visits the occupied presidios of Melilla and Ceuta, we Moroccans will shed every last drop of blood." That was the warning from Yahya Yahya, president of the Committee for the Liberation of Ceuta and Melilla and former mayor of Beni Ensar. His message has raised the stakes over Spain’s two North African enclaves.
Yahya spoke in a video message aimed straight at the Spanish king. He called Ceuta and Melilla "presidios ocupados," repeating the Committee’s claim that the cities belong to Morocco. This dispute has strained ties between Rabat and Madrid for years.
Spanish Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares has publicly rejected any claims of co-sovereignty over Ceuta and Melilla, stating that no one threatens Spain or decides where its kings may travel.
The threat comes as talk grows about a possible visit by Felipe VI to the autonomous cities. The Committee is not just talking. Yahya says they are ready to take to the streets as soon as the king’s travel dates are set. This is not just a bluff. In 2012, the group held a protest that shut the Melilla border for more than an hour. They have shown they can disrupt the border when they want to.
The Spanish government has not confirmed any royal visit. Even so, the idea alone has stirred up old tensions. The Committee’s readiness to mobilize and its past border protests show that any move by the monarchy will face pushback. Yahya’s talk of bloodshed is a sharp turn from earlier statements. It puts Spanish officials in a tough spot as they weigh the risks of sending the king to the region.
Spanish media confirm that Felipe VI and Queen Letizia are considering a visit to Ceuta and Melilla, but as of the latest reports, no official date has been announced. The trip is being coordinated between the Royal Household and the government, reflecting the sensitive nature of the decision.
Direct threats like this are rare in Spanish-Moroccan politics, but not unheard of. As reported earlier, standoffs between Spain and its neighbors can take unpredictable turns, especially when national pride and sovereignty are involved.
Yahya’s Committee has used border actions before to draw attention. But this time, the threat of violence raises the stakes. The Spanish government now faces a choice: go ahead with a royal visit despite the threats, or change course to avoid making things worse. This episode shows how quickly territorial disputes can move from words to real confrontation when symbols like a king’s visit are involved. Madrid’s next step will be watched closely, both for its diplomacy and for its ability to keep the border calm.
