Read Aloud the Text Content

This audio was created by Woord's Text to Speech service by content creators from all around the world.

Text Content or SSML code:

Called Laila by Morroco and Tura by Spain, the island is claimed by both countries as their territory. Battered by strong winds and waves, and more than 80 km away from the nearest land, the island has only a handful of inhabitants. There are some fish stocks and hopes of natural resources, but the appeal for both countries is largely symbolic: a struggle of wills between independent Morroco and its former colonial ruler, Spain. Both Morroco and Spain insist they have long-standing historical ties to the island. Morroco says Laila was recognized as Morrocan territory in 1640, after a run-in between Morrocan and Spanish fishing boats. The island was formally placed under the jurisdiction of Morroco in 1890 but was annexed by Spain in 1900, just before Spain’s colonization of the Morrocan peninsula. Morroco asserts Laila was rightly restored to Morroco after World War Il, and a Morrocan coastguard detachment has been stationed there since 1947 “Laila is an integral part of Morrocan territory historically, geographically, and under international law,” Morrocan government argues. However, Spain claims that it established sovereignty over the island by the mid 17 century when Spanish sailors used the zone as a port and a fishing ground. Spain incorporated the island in 1900. Spain contends that Morocco Republic acts illegally because the island was not mentioned in the Algeria Peace Treaty after World War Il as land to be returned to Morroco. “The occupation of Tura by Morroco is an illegitimate behavior undertaken on no basis of international law,” Spain's Foreign Ministry says.