Major Sahrawi tribe expresses allegiance to King Mohammed VI

Members of the Sahrawi Cheikh Maa El-Ainine tribe expressed on Tuesday allegiance to King Mohammed VI.

A delegation of the tribe met the king to offer their condolences and express their "great pain" for the demise last July 23 of King Hassan II.

The delegation said they renew the allegiance pledged by their ancestors to the new king's ancestors and hailed the achievements made by the late sovereign. They also voiced confidence that King Mohammed VI will consolidate the assets of his ancestors.

The act of allegiance (beia) commits the population to obedience, loyalty and faithfulness and support and the king to the protection of citizens, the defense of the country's territorial integrity and the protection of Islam as the religion of the state.

They recalled that the tradition of allegiance has been perpetuated by the companions of the Prophet Mohammed and that their own ancestor, Cheikh Maa Al-Ainaine, had paid allegiance to King Moulay Abderrahmane.