Coll 28/97 ‘Persia. Diaries. Tehran Intelligence Summaries’ [‎35r] (69/749)

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14. The formation of the Meshed and Turbat-i-Jam Brigades of the
8th (Khorassan) Division is proceeding. Rifles and equipment, officers and non
commissioned officers have been recently sent from Tehran. Men who were
discharged, or who discharged themselves, after the Russian invasion are being
recalled to service.
15. The Persian forces remain heavily handicapped by their almost com
plete lack of transport. Operations which are due, or overdue, but are being
*;elayed for this reason, are the establishment of Government authority in Pars,
the punishment of the tribe responsible for the murders of Messrs. Harris and
Griffiths, and measures for the maintenance of security in Khuzestan. Local
commanders are reluctant to embark on operations with the knowledge that
reinforcements, if required, cannot reach them in reasonable time.
A 'pyointments — Military.
16. —{i) Sartip Ghulam Ali Ansari (F.O.^—, M.A. 28) to be Commander of
the Military Cadet School.
(ii) Sartip Mustafa Asa to command the 4th (Kurdistan) Division, vice
Sartip Ibrahim Arfa.
(iii) Sartip Muhammad Nakchevan to be head of the air force.
(iv) Sarhang Assadullah Gulshayan to command the 12th (Kermanshah)
Brigade.
(v) Sartip Mahdavi to be attached to the General Staff for the special
purpose of settling overdue Ministry of War accounts.
Personality notes on (i), (ii) and (iii) above are attached as an appendix.
Internal Security.
Khuzestan.
17. Viewed in relation to possibilities, and having regard to the many
important undertakings located in that province, security in Khuzestan gives some
cause for anxiety. The problems are many and complicated : protection of ships,
ports, railway installations and A.I.O.C. plant against sabotage; protection of
large dumps of stores against thieving; and general security against possible tribal
lawlessness. It would be optimistic to expect the Persian authorities to ensure
full security in all these matters. At present, although there is considerable
thieving and some raiding by Arabs in the Dizful-Shushtar area, there is no
considerable disturbance. The Beni Turuf appear to be prepared to behave
provided the Persian military authorities do not attempt to keep them in order.
The Persian commander in Khuzestan recently assured them that he was prepared
to leave the security of their area to a large extent in their own hands. It is when
the Kuhgalu, particularly the Boir Ahmadi, and Qashgai tribes move down to
their winter quarters that tribal disturbance is expected. The Persian General
Staff propose to send an extra battalion to Behbehan, but, with their other
commitments, they are hard put to find this additional battalion.
Kerman.
18. In addition to the operations in the Task area reported in Summary
-^ 0 - 35 / paragraph 19, the Kerman Division has also commenced operations
against the Buchakchi tribe living in the East Sirjan district, who have recently
been raiding the Kerman-Bandar Abbas road and elsewhere. This tribe is still
led by Hussein Khan, who was a great trouble to the South Persia Rifles. It is
reported, but lacks confirmation, that in the first encounter seventy-five tribesmen
and twenty-five Persian soldiers were killed.
19. Two columns from the Kerman Division are operating in the Basjakird
district (1/million, N.G.-40, Bandar Abbas) and along the Biyaban coast for the
suppression of outlaws and the collection of arms.
Fars.
20. The situation remains unsatisfactory, although no further serious
interference with traffic on the main road has been reported. But neither have
the Government forces shown any energy in the pursuit of raiding bands. The
garrison at Kamfiruz (1/million, Sheet 11. 39) was recently attacked by a band
of Qashgais. It is reported that the attack was driven off. Numerous sensational
rumours are current of Qashgai collusion with pro-German elements, abetted, it
is said, by Persian officers, and of the acquisition by the Qashgai of numbers of
Persian army rifles. These rumours are unconfirmed, and, although many of them
are probably being circulated by interested persons, they cannot at present be
[34—15] - R ^