'Collection of journals and reports received from Captain the Hon G C Napier, Bengal Staff Corps, on special duty in Persia, 1874. Includes revised index. London: HMSO, 1876' [‎11r] (25/409)

now compelled to act from a distant base, either Merve or the
Murghab, or to pass westward through Afghan territory.
The Persian authorities allege that the passage of the raiders is
permitted by the Afghan border-guards and connived at by the
Afghan authorities at Herat, and that they are supplied with provi
sions, &c., by the Afghan villagers, and thus enabled to extend their
incursions to the great distances to which they are now carried.
The Persian Government maintains for the protection of the
border a force of several thousand irregular cavalry, chiefly Hazaras.
These are stationed at points in the Meshed district, and in the
districts of Khafl* and Bakhurz. The two last districts are more
exposed to attack than other parts of the border, both from their
position and because through them lies the road to many fertile
valleys in their rear.
Opposed to them on the Afghan side are the small States of
Ghorian and Kohsan, held by Khans under the Herat Govern
ment, who have each a force of 300 or 400 cavalry constantly
employed on the border.
The Persian authorities complain that not only do these give no
assistance by keeping their own border, but frequently join with
the raiders, and always receive a share of the booty.
From such information as I have been able to obtain here,
which, it must be remembered, is entirely ex parte, it appears that
this has been the state of aflairs as far back at least as the last
two years.
In August 1872, the Hissam-u-Sultanat, then Governor General
of Khorassan, deputed one Haji Azad Khan Kohsani, a Persian
employe, to Herat to represent to the Sirdar Leader of a tribe or a polity; also refers to a military rank or title given to a commander of an army or division. Yakoob Khan that
the inhabitants of his border villages were in the habit of assisting
the Turkomans in their raids and to request his interference.
Subsequently, during the years 1872 and 1873, the Persian
border-guards came into collision with parties of Turkoman raiders
no less than 13 times, and on each occasion the Turkomans are
said to have passed through Afghan territory, and in many in
stances to have made the Afghan villages of Ghorian and Kohsan
their base of operations, and, in one instance, when routed and
pursued by the Hazara cavalry, to have found refuge in the
former village.
In September 1873, it is alleged that a large body of Turkoman
and Afghans of Ghorian and Kohsan raided the Khaff Plain and
carried off 15 men, 7,000 or 8,000 sheep, and some horses. On
their return, the booty was divided by the Turkomans and their
Afghan companions. The Persian border chiefs having failed to
obtain restitution, the Governor General of Khorassan in December
of the same year deputed one Mustowfi Mahomed Ali to Herat
to ask for return of the plundered flocks or compensation for the
owners.
It was shortly after the departure of this agent, on the 11th of
January 1874, that the first news of a raid made in retaliation of
the joint Turkoman and Afghan raid by the Khaffees was received
in Meshed.