File 756/1917 Pt 2-3 ‘ARAB BULLETIN Nos 66-114’ [‎402v] (813/834)

96 —
A Turkish officer estimated the Imamic army in Beni Saad
territory at between 1,500 and 2,000 men, under Sheri E Abdullah el
Dumain and three Turkish officers, and at Manakhah, Bura a, and
Keima a total force of six to seven thousand. The Idrisi troops on
the Quhrah borders were, he considered, only about seven
hundred.
The sheikhs of Reima were reported to be desirous of turning
out the Imam’s troops who were in occupation, but, owing to lack
of ammunition, were unable to do so; it was said that they were
eagerly awaiting the arrival of Idrisi troops.
In January the Imam issued a local announcement that he
had ordered his eldest son, Seif el Islam Seyyid Ahmed ibn Yahya,
to proceed against the Quhrah via Sanfur with 1,000 men, and
Seyyid Abbas via Manakhah with 800 men and two guns. A
'fight is reported to have occurred on January 17, resulting in the
defeat of the Imam with heavy losses.
The Zaraniq tribe declared wholly for the Idrisi, Sheikh
Manassar Saghir having been compelled to follow the other
sheikhs of the tribe, and with two other local tribes they raised
a composite force of 1,000 men at Beit el Faqih to attack Zabid,
but had to desist at the request of the Mansab of Zabid.
During February reports were received at Hodeidah that the
Idrisi had occupied Zera'i, Mekfal, and Jebel Bura'a. The latter
Jebel changed hands several times before it* finally fell to the
Idrisi.
Reports were received from Hodeidah on March 14 that
there had been continuous fighting between the Imam’s troops
and combined forces of the Idrisi and the Quhrah tribe. Procla
mations had been issued by the Imam that he intended
to occupy Hodeidah, and his capture of Bajil seemed to be
imminent. The Zeidis were, however, driven back, and the
Quhrah recaptured their town of Obal near their tribal frontier.
In Sanaa there were, according to the statements of Turkish
officers who passed through Hodeidah for repatriation, about
2,000 regular soldiers who were reviewed on parade every Friday
by the Imam.
In a letter to Aden, a correspondent at Taiz stated that the
Imam’s taxes at Hajjariyeh were 50 per cent more than those
previously levied by the Turks, and at Udein 100 to 200 per cent
more. He stated that the tribesmen were being terribly oppressed
by the Imam, who, he added, has ambitions in the direction
of Mecca and Medina.
Cholera was reported to be prevalent amongst the Zeidi
soldiers at Mawia and Taiz.