Spanish Sahara, Nov. 6: In scenes reminiscent of a biblical epic, tens of thousands of Moroccan volunteers walked through blinding dust storm in searing desert heat to-day to start their occupation of the Spanish Sahara.
They walked for three hours to a point just four kilometres from the Spanish dissuasion line of alleged minefields, barbed wire and heavy armoured units.
A senior gendarmerie officer controlling the march said, “We will stay here overnight and tomorrow morning, we will see.”
Spain has termed this military line the “line of discussion” beyond which it refuses to allow the Morrocan marchers to pass.
Meanwhile Rabat Radio to-night reported the marchers — about 40,000 strong — were some 18 kms inside Spanish territory. The march volunteers were eight kms, from Douara, a meeting point of desert caravan tracks, the Moroccan radio said.
In principle the rest of the 3,50,000 marchers are due to start crossing into Spanish Sahara in groups of about 20,000 at a time as from to-morrow.