Spain warned of ‘heavy casualties’ if it tried to capture Gibraltar after Spanish MPs demanded its ‘liberation’
SPAIN has been warned it would suffer “heavy casualties” if it tried to take Gibraltar, after far-right politicians demanded its “liberation”.
Members of the of Vox party in the Andalusian Parliament want Madrid to scrap the UK’s post-Brexit agreement signed with Spain on Gibraltar.
Spain and the UK have agreed in principle an agreement that calls for the demolition of a barrier that encircles the Rock and which been at the centre of rows for decades.
But Vox have tabled a motion that calls for “its immediate liberation and reincorporation to the national territory” of what it called a British “colony”.
George Allison, edits the UK Defence Journal, explained there are a large network of tunnels under the Rock of Gibraltar, many of them owned by the Ministry of Defence.
“Any attempt to invade the territory would have to contend with British forces embedded in the tunnel, drawing out any operation against the territory significantly,” he told the Express.
“This would lead to a ‘guerrilla’ style conflict with Spain in Gibraltar that would see Spanish forces take heavy casualties and take many months.
“Whilst this is happening, the United Kingdom would be sending support to the territory from the air and sea.
“Spain would have to move quickly so it could catch British forces off guard and stop them fortifying the tunnel network.
Gibraltar’s residents are proudly British and have strongly resisted any moves to hand the Rock to Spain.
In 2017 The Sun mounted a ‘Hands off Our Rock’ campaign after Theresa May fuelled concern by refusing to rule out talks with Madrid over Gibraltar’s future.
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Spain made almost 4,000 unlawful incursions into British waters and airspace between 2010 and 2019 – with the UK government lodging nearly 400 complaints.
In January navy patrol ships saw off a Spanish warship which sailed into Gibraltar’s waters yesterday.
HMS Dasher – the UK’s smallest warship – hounded a 300ft Spanish vessel, Rayo P42, out of the Rock’s sovereign waters.
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