THE ISLET CRISIS

Events that shaped the countries of the Mediterranean

An episode from the series ECHOES OF HISTORY

Synopsis

At dawn on July 11, 2002, a squad of six Moroccan coastguards landed on Persil Islet, a tiny territory just 160 meters off the country's Mediterranean coast in the Strait of Gibraltar.

They aimed to challenge Spanish sovereignty over the islet, which has been part of the enclave of Ceuta since independence in 1956.

This spectacular action, stemming from over 60 years of latent conflict between the two countries, will lead to a major diplomatic crisis.