File 756/1917 Pt 2-3 ‘ARAB BULLETIN Nos 66-114’ [‎268v] (545/834)

— 338 —
Northern Area.
ARABIA.
North-West.
Intelligence.
In oar last summary of operations on page 332, it was
reported that communications between Palestine and Damascus
were entirely destroyed by the Arabs in the north, while the
Semna force had occupied Jerdun. In the absence of a detailed
report of the operations of the Arab regular column working in
co-operation with the Druses, Ruwalla and Khurshan, we can
do no more than record the successes, which have resulted in the
destruction of the Turkish Armies, achieved by the Arabs
fighting on the right wing of the advancing British forces.
The mixed force—which had concentrated near el-Umtaiye,
south-east of Deraa,—captured Itzra and Ghazale stations on
September 26, and occupied Sheikh Saad and Deraa on the
following day, capturing about fifteen hundred prisoners and
thirty machine guns.
On October 1, an Arab force under Sherif Nasir entered
Damascus. The remnants of the defeated Turkish Armies and
the garrison of the town, amounting to about eight thousand
men in all, were captured.
The Maan group, harassed by Arabs, reached the vicinity
of Zize, where it was surrounded by the Beni Sakhr and
the people of Kerak. The whole force, numbering rather over
five thousand, was in great straits owing to want of food and
water, and surrendered to a detachment of British cavalry on
September 29.
Southern Area.
Deserters from Meshed, who have recently come into Wejh,
repoit that a train, carrying rations, runs once a fortnight
from Medina to Meshed. The rations are inadequate, and
three-quarters of the garrison are sick with scurvy. Fakhri
Pasha An Ottoman title used after the names of certain provincial governors, high-ranking officials and military commanders. is obtaining fuel from Bedai and Bowat. Eight hundred
lails have been brought to the latter place for the construction
of a light railway to bring away wood. The laying of the track
is not yet completed, and meanwhile camels are carrying the
wood. 1 he prisoners had been at least a month in the hands of
the Bedums.
One Mohammed el-Mughreibi Futeir arrived at Yambo on
September 11. Accompanied by five slaves, he came on a
mission from Ibn Rashid to the King. Emir Abdullah, how
ever, detained him pending Ibn Rashid’s answer to Abdullah’s
conditions. Mohammed, in an interview with the Commandant
S tamho, stated that it was a sine qua non with Ibn Rashid
that the King should have no agreement with Ibn Sand, and
that, essential as was the unity of the Arabs, Neid must be
excluded from that union. He added that it was proposed to