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File 10/12 Tribal and desert information: Ikhwan raids; Motor Transport Concession, Kuwait/Basra; Ikhwan rebellion, 1927 [‎314r] (627/646)

The record is made up of 1 file (321 folios). It was created in 7 Jan 1925-31 Dec 1927. It was written in English and Arabic. The original is part of the British Library: India Office The department of the British Government to which the Government of India reported between 1858 and 1947. The successor to the Court of Directors. Records and Private Papers Documents collected in a private capacity. .

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From Highcoma, Baghdad.
To Colonial Office; repd. to India, Bdahlre & Kuwait.
Telegram (P).
My telegram No. 202-S (616 to C.O.). Fais
Dated 29th December 1927.
No.
203-S. (622 to 0.0.)
mount shaikh of the Mutair crossed the 'Iraq frontier In some
force near Jaukhah about 22nd December and raided some Nijd
Shammar temporarily in 'Iraq and 'Iraq shepherd tribes with
heavy slaughter. He then moved to the north-west to attack the
Dahamishah, a sept of the 'Anizah, who fled before him.A state
of extreme panic prevails .amongst all 'Iraq desert tribes and
there are rumours of other parts of Dawlsh's tribe in the
south contemplating raiding. Meanwhile there is a rumour, as
yet unconfirmed, that Ibn Sa'ud's forces have captured Arta-
wiyah and that orders have been sent to the Governor of Hall
to follow up Dawish. The following are the recent events;-
On the 5th Hovember the Mutair destroyed Busaiyah post,killing
workmen and police. At the end of November they raided near
Jahrah in Kuwait territory. On the 9 th December tkmy in the
Neutral Zone they attacked the 'Iraq shepherd tribes, and
later fired on our aeroplanes, damaging all machines and
wounding one man. 'Iraq casualties were 59 men and 7500
animals. Lastly this raid happened on the 22 nd December.
British officers in the areas affected say they are placed in
a most humiliating position. Shaikhs of 'Iraq desert tribes
say quite openly that they must become Ikhwan as the British
and 'Iraq Governments cannot protect them. They are already
paying zlkat to Dawish's tax collector, some have put on the
'imaah and openly denounce the British. Sooner or later the
'Anizah who stretch right across the desert route are bound
to become Ikhwan. If things go on like this I shall soon be
forced to advise that the projected desert railway and pipe
line follow the northern route through Syria, as the chief
advantage of the southern route, to wit greater security, is
going. Meanwhile King Faisal and political circles in Baghdad
are much excited, and we will soon be accused again of
conniving at these Ikhwan attacks to remind 'Iraq that it is

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Content

This file contains correspondence related to the British Government's relationship with Ibn Sa'ud [‘Abd al-‘Azīz bin ‘Abd al-Raḥmān bin Fayṣal Āl Sa‘ūd].

The correspondence primarily relates to raids that were made into Iraq and Kuwait by Ikhwan forces and associated acts of livestock plunder and killing. As such, the file contains two reports regarding these raids that were submitted to the Political Agency An office of the East India Company and, later, of the British Raj, headed by an agent. in Kuwait by the Senior Staff Officer of the Akhwan Defence, a British force that had been established to counter the threat of Ikhwan raids into Iraq and monitor their movements (folios 40-47 and 84-130).

The file also contains correspondence that relates to discussions concerning the construction of a paved road (for the use of motor vehicles) between Southern Iraq and Kuwait. A copy of a concession for its construction that was granted to Sayyid Hamid bin Rajab al-Naqib by the Ruler of Kuwait, Shaikh Ahmad al-Jaber al-Sabah, is contained in Arabic (folios 67-69) and English (folios 72-75). In this context, the file contains descriptions written by the Political Agent A mid-ranking political representative (equivalent to a Consul) from the diplomatic corps of the Government of India or one of its subordinate provincial governments, in charge of a Political Agency. in Kuwait, Major James Carmichael More, of a number of different routes between Southern Iraq and Kuwait at the time. These descriptions are as follows:

  • Jafrah to Safwan (in English, folios 49-53 and Arabic, folios 59-62);
  • Kuwait to Basrah via Basrah and then direct to Safwan (folios 54-57);
  • Jahrah to Zubair (folios 137-146).

Towards the end of the file, the correspondence in the file discusses reports of the tensions between the Ikhwan and Ibn Sa'ud and the beginning of the Ikhwan revolt.

As well as correspondence between British officials, correspondence between Political Agent A mid-ranking political representative (equivalent to a Consul) from the diplomatic corps of the Government of India or one of its subordinate provincial governments, in charge of a Political Agency. More and the Ruler of Kuwait, Shaikh Ahmad al-Jaber al-Sabah (in Arabic with English translations) appears throughout the file.

Extent and format
1 file (321 folios)
Arrangement

The papers are arranged in approximate chronological order from the front to the rear of the file.

An index of topics discussed is contained at the rear of the file (on folios 322-323); the folios used in this index relate to an earlier incomplete foliation system that is in uncircled pencil in the top right corner of the recto The front of a sheet of paper or leaf, often abbreviated to 'r'. side of each folio.

Physical characteristics

Foliation: the main foliation sequence (used for referencing) commences at the front cover with 1 and terminates at the last folio with 323; these numbers are written in pencil, are circled, and are located at the top right corner of the recto The front of a sheet of paper or leaf, often abbreviated to 'r'. side of each folio. An additional foliation sequence is present in parallel between ff 1-323; these numbers are also written in pencil and circled, but are crossed through.

Written in
English and Arabic in Latin and Arabic script
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File 10/12 Tribal and desert information: Ikhwan raids; Motor Transport Concession, Kuwait/Basra; Ikhwan rebellion, 1927 [‎314r] (627/646), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, IOR/R/15/5/38, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100035873424.0x00001c> [accessed 8 June 2026]

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