'Military Report on Iraq (Area 6 Lower Euphrates)' [‎24v] (53/452)

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2. From the South.—In all seasons Shatrah can be approached
by road from Nasiriyab. In high Hood, when water flows down the
Shatrah channel and fills the disused irrigation channels, it would
he a simple matter to build bunds and make a passage for
transport.
In high flood level, from March 1st to April 15th heliums not^ draw
ing mere than 2 foot can reach as far as the junction of the Bad’ahand
Gharraf; from there it is necessary to proceed to Shatrah by horse or
foot. From April 15th to June 15th boats drawing np to 6 foot can
reach the junction and from there,heliums drawing np to 3 foot can
reach Shatrah. From June 15th to July 31st (the approach is
the same as from March 1st to April 15th. For the remainder
Shatrah can be approached iby horse from anywhere. In high
water season, however, Shatrah can only be approached from
Nasiriyah by horse and from Kut by river, the irrigation channels
above Bad’ah being impassable.
3. From the East .—By water only vid the Bad’ah Channel. In
even the low water season a land route would be impracticable ow ing
to marsh.
4. From the West .—There is no suitable line of approach.
History .—According to local history Shatrah was founded about
1872 ; it grew rapidly owing to the building of bazaars and houses
and carried on such a brisk trade with Baghdad and was such an
important grain centre that it became the most important town on
the Gharr5f and was known as “Little Baghdad.” It was first
occupied by the Turks in 1881, the local tribes consenting for the
time being as they w’ere feeling the oppression of the Sa’dun ride.
In 1895 the Turks made an attempt to conscript Shatrah men, with
the result that the Al Sinajir section of the Abudah migrated,
inter-tribal troubles began and the decline of Shatrah set in. In
1S04 Sa’dun al Mansur drove the Turks from the district and at
intervals since then Turkish expeditions were sent_ from Baghdad
under Mizar Pfisha, Yusuf Pasha An Ottoman title used after the names of certain provincial governors, high-ranking officials and military commanders. , and Muhammad ’Ali respectively
to subdue the Shatrah tribesmen, but in each case the remnants of
these expeditions returned unsuccessful to Baghdad. Ihus Shatrah
town and district were unique in Iraq as being the only such from
which the Turks never obtained conscripts. The history of Shatrah
during the early stages of the war affords a good example of how the
Arab throws in his lot with the winning side. After the British
captured Basrah the Turkish Kaimakam and his men were evicted
from Shatrah. After the fall of Nasiriyah and Kut in 1915 the
Shatrah tribes made friendly ove r tures to the British. On the re
capture of Kut (in the end of 1915 by the Turks), the Turks under
Mizar Pasha An Ottoman title used after the names of certain provincial governors, high-ranking officials and military commanders. returned to Shatrah ; the tribesmen, then lent an ear
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