‘Military report on Persia Volume I 1930’ [‎12r] (28/154)

11
latter s influence in the District his Deputy Governors were*
dismissed and replaced by men selected by the troops Tho
1 urkomans thereupon became more turbulent and refused
+v!T e p der an y P lor e arms or to pay revenue to the
Cential Government. Shortly after this Turkoman, raiders
became active on the Tehran Meshed road.
At % end of June, Sarhang (Colonel) Mehdi Khan,
actmg without the authority of the General Officer Com
manding, left Bujnurd with 100 troops for Gunbad-i-Qabus
and moved m the direction of Kara Kala. En route he
eaptuied 70 1 urkomans whom he executed as robbers. This
affam so incensed the Turkomans that on July 5 th a party
about 2,500 strong attacked and defeated Colonel Mehdi
Khan s force. Those of the Infantry (3 coys.) who were
not killed or wounded surrendered. The Cavalry and
Artillery, however, elfected their escape. The Turkomans
involved m this rebellion belonged to the Yamut, Atabai
Jatarbai, Khojak, Goklan and Kainyahmes tribes. Follow-
mg J ioa r e , rei pf° rcem ents consisting of 230 Infantry
and 1^0 Cavalry with two guns, under Colonel Haii Baqir
Khan, were sent from Meshed and Mehdi Khan was relieved
ot his command. On arrival in Meshed he was placed under
arrest. On investigation it was discovered that he had
extorted money from the Turkoman chiefs to the extent of
over 250,000 Tomans 10,000 Persian dinars, or a gold coin of that value. in addition to horses, carpets and
skins which were all confiscated by the Divisional Com
mander. He was, however, released In August 1925 and
his rank restored to him.
In June, the Bujnurd Sardar Leader of a tribe or a polity; also refers to a military rank or title given to a commander of an army or division. put forward a counter
claim against the Central Government for the upkeep of
his troops for safeguarding the Northern frontier, which
exceeded that of the Government’s claim for arrears of
taxes. At this time a gang of about 300 Turkomans was
constantly raiding the Meshed-Tehran road near Abbasabad
with impunity. This state of affairs continued till in
September they cut the telegraph line and were a menace
to the whole countryside. Eventually 800 Cavalry were
despatched from Tehran to deal with these raiders but
they achieved no decisive result.
The Prime Minister now realized his failure to deal
with the Turkoman situation, and decided to open neoo-
tiations with the Sardar Leader of a tribe or a polity; also refers to a military rank or title given to a commander of an army or division. who was in Tehran and wired "to *
the General Officer Commanding the Eastern Division to
effect a settlement with the Turkomans themselves.