File 52/1912 Pt 3 'Persia Diaries' [‎153r] (316/1128)

Intelligenoe Summary No. 21 for the week ending the
25th May 1918.
Khorasan and North-East Persia.
160. Intrigues .—Further arrivals of escaping prisoners are reported from
Kuchan. Two Turkish officers reached the place on the 15th instant, it is
•tated from Tashkent. If this is correct they have probably made their way
from Siberia where a number of Turkish prisoners are confined. They are said
to be making for Resht via Bujnurd to join the Jangalis, and were entertain
ed by the Kuchan Musavat party who collected money for them.
On the 22nd instant two German (or possibly Austrian) officers reached
Kuchan, and yesterday 5 other prisoners, not yet identified, arrived there.
All these persons can reckon on the assistance of the Musavat for their onward
journey. The “ 2,000 ^ rifles are now reported to be still at Artik, although
from one account it appears possible that 200 may have been smuggled to
Daragiz. It is also possible that the total has been exaggerated.
The “ Commercial Mission ” continues to excite suspicion. Nothing
definite has, however, yet been discovered. They have hired the caravansarai
of one Haji Mullah Abdul Hassan, broker Often a local commercial agent in the Gulf who regularly performed duties of intelligence gathering and political representation. of the Russian Bank at Kuchan.
Shujah-ad-Daulah has retained the services of a Russian mechanic named
Feeder who is reported to have proceeded to Meshed to purchase plant to work
in Shujah's “ arsenal ”. It is probable that steps will be taken to prevent his
acquiring it at the present juncture.
161. Jstrabad. —A report dated the 9th instant states that 100 Jangalis
with 1,000 Turkomans raided Gunbad-i-Kabus and secured 150 breech-loading
rifles. A portion of these raiders attacked the Barbari settlement of Fazalabad
on the ground that the inmates were British subjects, and looted 130 head of
cattle and 60 horses.
A rumour was also current that on the 7th instant 1,000 Jangalis had arriv*
ed among the Turkoman. Two Gendarmerie officers with 10 men had reached
Astrabad.
News received at Tehran generally confirms the above exploit but adds that
the Turkoman and Jangalis are not particularly good friends, the former being
disinclined to trust the Jangalis. General Lavrov and the Russian Consul and
colony at Astrabad were reported to be alarmed. It was also stated that
Jangalis propaganda w r as making headway in Mazandaran, and that the Gen
darmerie were in sympathy with them.
162. Shahrud—The party of 1 German officer and 15 Turks noted last
week was subsequently joined at Shakrud by 3 Austrians from the direction of
Astrabad. Up to the 15th instant the party had not left.
There is much talk at Shahrud in favour of the Jangalis.
163. Damghan .—Sympathy with the Jangalis is manifested at Damghan.
Ahul Kasim and Agha Ali Asghar, brothers of the local Rais-i-Tujjar are
identified with this and proceeded to Bandar-i-Gaz to arrange communication
and arrival of Jangalis at Damghan. All of the above are democrats,
and lend themselves to anti-English propaganda.
164. Zorabad. —Looting of sheep continues in this region. The Deputy-
Governor has been in communication with the Afghan post at Zulfiqar re
a flock of 600 looted near Sarakhs and taken across the Afghan Borden Ner
vousness of Turkoman raids on Zorabad still exists. The Jamshadxs have
left.
An Afghan detachment of a dafadar A Non-Commissioned Officer in the Indian Cavalry. and 30 savars is reported present
at their new post of Ful-i-Khisht.
s732gsb
'bi-
%