evidence: As the crisis was unfolding, Moroccans launched a campaign on Twitter, with the slogans: "Ceuta and Melilla is not Spain" and "Ceuta and Melilla are Moroccan - end colonialism". [...] 8th Century: Launchpad for Moorish conquest of Iberian peninsular 15th Century: Melilla conquered by Spain 17th Century: Ceuta comes under Spanish rule 1956: Spain retains Ceuta and Melilla after Morocco becomes independent [...] "Under international law, Morocco doesn't have strong claims to Ceuta and Melilla, which have been Spanish for hundreds of years. There are significant legal and political barriers to any change in status of those territories in favour of Morocco," writes Dr Jamie Trinidad of Cambridge University in the UK.