Possible Clues:

• Desert in 13-Across
• One marsh up in arid expanse
• 'The Story of the Weeping Camel' desert
• Where the first velociraptor fossil was discovered
• Home to Bactrian camels
• Aloo ___
• Marco Polo traversed it
• Asian desert home to some jerboas
• Mongolian death worm's desert, it's said
• Soldier captures leaders of old brigade in desert