Nedmaro
Outat el Haj is a Tranquil - green rural town, attractively situated with Jbel Bou Naceur (3,340m) in the bachground, and the Oued Malwiya running through the centre, which is leafy and compact. There is a souk (Markt) on Monday in the enclosure by the river and the principal way. Most of the commercial activity in Outat El Haj is concentrated along the main Boulevard. Until the 1960s over the 1/4 of population of Outat El Haj were Jewish. Most of whom were descendants of Jews from Taza who fled persecution and chaos of Bou Hmara's rule (1902-1908). From Guercif until Outat El Haj much of the road followsthe path of a dismantled railway line used by the French in their arduous campain to conquer the tribes (Oulad El Haj and Zwa of Dahra), and the berbers (Middle Atlas) =1913-1923
1919 1ere Bat d`Af was headquartered at Bou Denib it´s companies spread throughout the surrounding territory. The "Joyeux" keep a strict eye on the local tribes. As they did during the war they took part in patrols and did back breaking construction work. In 1919 the 2eme Compagnie finished building the fort at Ouled-Djerrar while the 3eme and 4eme built a new fort at Sekrouna. The battalion also built a fort at Moyenne-Moulouya. There was little action and the battalion suffered few losses. At the beginning of March some of the compagnies joined General Auberts column at Taza which marched over Ouled-Djerrar then on to Reggou which it occupies with just one soldier wounded. After taking part in the operations in the Taza pocket the 1ere Bat d´Af was tasked with building forts and protecting the workers constructing the railway from Geflet to Outat-El-Hadj.
1920-1922 At the beginning of 1920 the 1ere Bat d´Af is headquartered at Guettara with sections dispersed to Oued-El-Ouhar, Reggou, Oued-El-Amar and Meskri. In spite of the reduction of the Taza pocket things did not stay quiet for long. The rebellion did not die down and in 1921 the Rif war broke out with Add-El Krim at the head. After beating the Spanish at Anoual he declared a republic of confederated Rif tribes. His agents worked to get the tribes in French Morocco to break into open revolt. It was a situation the French were to find difficult to control.
1923 In May 1923 General Poeymirau decided to pacify Bou-Arfa. It was a major operation and included the 1st, 2nd and 3rd BILA which were attached to the Fez-, Meknes-, and Bou-Denib mobile columns. By the 20th of May the preparations for the action were finished. On the 20th of May the Mobile Column Fez (which included the 1ere Bat d´Af) occupied the Beker heights/hills. These were an important strategic point for the operations that followed. Guercif-Outat El Haj Along the way (Guercif- Outat El Haj) are viaducts and the remains of former stations. DAHRA (Hauts Plateaux and Rekkem) are stil living by tribe Oulad El Haj, originally from Yemen (Toual and Oulad El Boukays). The most known family here is Lougrad Chakori Touali, living in DAHRA and Outat El Haj. This Trans-Rekkam is criss-crossed by Oueds, generally with no water. the snowclad peaks of the Middle Atlas are a constant presence throughout the lenth of this route.
The most High scolirised, known persons historically and actually are:IDRISSI RACHID(Uranium from phosfaat), ABDEL AZIZ ALAOUI AL HAFIDI(Parliament member, Lawyer and Professor of LAW studies), LAKHDAR LOUGRAD (Journaliste in the Netherlands, Chairman of =Marocains Sans Frontieres Foundation= in the Benelux,OWNER of Project=ARABIZ in Benelux, Member of international Associations of Human Rights).
