'Military report on Iraq. Area 9 (Central Kurdistan)' [‎12r] (28/394)

19
on reaching the Zab valley, to break north and make their way
^ up that river to Amadia.
Owing to the cutting of the line during the May and June
disturbances, the arrival of the remainder of the Assyrians from
Baqubah was very much delayed. They did not reach Mindan
till October, and, in spite of the lateness of the season, it was
decided to send the armed men forward early in November.
j r Meanwhile the prospect of repatriation had been exercising
le the minds of the Kurds. For a while it seemed as if Simko, of
1$ the Shikak tribe, were trying to arrange a tribal conference to
oppose the movement, but apparently wiser councils prevailed.
n Agha Petros had written to most of the Aghas assuring them of
his peaceful intentions ; but most of them, while reciprocating
his sentiment, were sceptical, not of the wishes of the Government,
but of the will of the mountaineers to abide by them.
The event justified their doubts. The forward move was made
on 22nd October. No opposition was encountered until they
reached the Zab, the crossing of which was opposed by the Zibari
Aghas and Shaikh Ahmad,, but effected with only slight loss.
Barzan was occupied and destroyed, and the force moved north
in pursuit of Paris Agha, who was making for Oramar via Narwa
and Raikan. Although the Aghas of these two districts were
perfectly ready to assist Agha Petros in attacking Paris, the
Tiari and Tkhuma immediately started looting and burning.
Having destroyed 21 villages in Narwa and Raikan they definitely
broke away from the repatriation movement and passed into Chal,
where they held the Aghas to ransom and destroyed more viJlages.
They then tried and were successful in crossing the Zab into
Barwari Bala. Rashid Beg was able to prevent them getting
far from the river, but more damage was done, and they passed
by Amadia into the Supna country. The A.P.O., Dohuk, went
to Amadia, to find that the majority of the Assyrians had made
their way back to the Zab, from where they found their way to
Aqra. Meanwhile, the main body, deprived of the essential
support of the mountaineers, unable to obtain supplies owing to
their depredations, and in great distress owing to the heavy rains
which set in, found themselves unable to go forward, and,
1 re-crossing the Zab with difficulty, returned to Aqra and Mindan.
^ The enterprise had failed. The choice of the difficult Aqra
5 road rather than the comparatively easy one to Urumieh via
r Rowanduz was unfortunate ; the lack of any arrangements for
y getting up supplies from this country was also a weak spot in
Agha Petros’s scheme, which apparently depended on his force
y being able to live on the country. It is clear, however, that the
' r main cause of the failure was the fanatical spirit of vengeance
. shown by the people themselves. At Russian instigation they
ravaged the country in 1917, and the repetition of their perform
ance did much to discredit future protestations made by them or
a- the British Government on their behalf.
y.