Why Peñón de Alhucemas
Peñón de Alhucemas is a small, fortified rock island situated in the Bay of Al Hoceima within the Alboran Sea. Together with the neighboring islets of Isla de Tierra and Isla de Mar, it forms the Spanish-administered territory known as the Alhucemas Islands. Translating to "Lavender Rock" from Spanish, this outcrop is classified among the historical rock-fortresses, or peñones, off the Northern African coast. While under Spanish governance as a minor plaza de soberanía, the island group is also claimed by Morocco.
The islets are positioned 300 meters off the coast directly south of Al Hoceima, a Moroccan town formerly called Villa Sanjurjo. The group sits 146 kilometers east of Ceuta and 84 kilometers west of Melilla, with a total land area of 4.6 hectares. Peñón de Alhucemas measures 220 meters east-to-west, up to 84 meters north-to-south, reaches an elevation of 27 meters, and spans 1.5 hectares. The island's entire surface is occupied by architectural structures, consisting of a fort, a church, and several houses.
The two adjacent islets feature distinct physical landscapes. Isla de Tierra is a steep rocky platform 11 meters high, located 114 meters north of the mainland beach, covering 1.7 hectares. Just 93 meters north of Isla de Tierra sits Isla de Mar, a flat islet rising 4 meters above the sea and covering 1.4 hectares.
Spanish sovereignty in the area dates to 1559, when the Saadis ceded territory to Spain for assistance against Ottoman armies. Spain stationed a permanent garrison on Peñón de Alhucemas in 1673. The surrounding bay also served as the landing area for Spanish and French expeditionary forces in 1925 during the Rif War. Since achieving independence in 1956, Morocco has contested Spain's authority over the archipelago.
The main rock maintains a continuous military footprint. In 2012, the fort housed an infantry section of 25 to 30 soldiers from the 32nd Mixed Artillery Regiment, along with marine personnel using an inflatable craft to access supply vessels. That same year, Isla de Tierra became a focal point for sub-Saharan migration when dozens of individuals landed on the islet. Spanish forces provided medical care and aid before handing the migrants over to Moroccan authorities, subsequently establishing a small military camp on Isla de Tierra to deter future crossings.
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