File 301/1921 'MESOPOTAMIA: INTELLIGENCE REPORTS' [‎263v] (537/586)

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( large numbers of Hardin Christians are at present arriving in Mosul in order
to escape Turkish conscription. ,
44. The Armenian refugees, numbering some 16,000, have been con
centrated in a camp at Nahr ‘Omar, near Basrah. The intention was to send
them by sea to Constantinople whence they were to be repatriated to the (J
Armenian Bepublic at Van. Recent events in Armenia have dashed these
Popes and for the present they are being retained at Nahr ‘Umar. A scheme
for settling them in Mesopotamia has been discussed, but offers many dis
advantages. The expense would be not less than 20 or 30 lakhs One lakh is equal to one hundred thousand rupees and the
people themselves are unsuitable material. They have little cohesion and
most of them are non-agriculturalists. The present cost of the camp at Naffy
‘Umair is 3 lakhs One lakh is equal to one hundred thousand rupees a month.
FOREIGN INFLUENCE IN ‘IRAQ.
? Iw,
45. Syria .—Newspapers continue to reach this country from Syria.
The tone of the articles is on the whole anti-British and pro-French. The
most prominent is the “ Fatah al Arab ” of Damascus which has been pub
lishing articles attacking the British for the part played by theiff in supporting
the Greek claims to Smyrna and accusing them of being bent on the destruc
tion of Turkey, while at the same time the writer The lowest of the four classes into which East India Company civil servants were divided. A Writer’s duties originally consisted mostly of copying documents and book-keeping. extols the French generosity
to and support of the Turks, especially the Nationalist party. The articles
produce little effect here.
The disarmament by the French of the Syrians has had the expected
result, and arms are beginning to find their way across the desert to ‘Iraq.
A caravan of 150 camels with some 400 to 500 rifles was held up by the ‘Anizah
some days ago. The selling price of a rifle in Damascus is said to be only
£3, whilst in ‘Iraq they command twenty to thirty pounds.
46. Arrangements are in train for the repatriation of Mesopotamian
Officers in Syria. A list of some 240 names has been received through the
French Consul in Baghdad. It is worthy of note that the names of Yasin
Pasha An Ottoman title used after the names of certain provincial governors, high-ranking officials and military commanders. , Maulud Pasha An Ottoman title used after the names of certain provincial governors, high-ranking officials and military commanders. and Jamil Beg do not appear in the list. This news
supports the report in Mosul C.I.D. report (para. 49) that these three are
still in communication with the Turkish Nationalists. There is no doubt
that this is the case, and they may be expected to make their way njorth rather
than return to ‘Iraq, though recent reports about Yasin state that he is
desirous of returning. 1
47. Turkey .—Turkish intrigues continue active. Jamil Yuzbashi,
formerly Yuzbashi of the gendarmerie at Tall ‘Afar, was reported recently
to be with the Aulad Shallal preparing to raid Sharqat. A message however
from Muslat Pasha An Ottoman title used after the names of certain provincial governors, high-ranking officials and military commanders. of the Jubur told him to delay as they would shortly be
supported with Turkish troops and guns.
On the 16th Turkish Cavalry and infantry were reported to be at Tall
Taban with Muslat Pasha An Ottoman title used after the names of certain provincial governors, high-ranking officials and military commanders. . Their objective was said to be Sharqat. A
communique issued by the Turks at Bayazid states that the Zemikhan tribes
between Mosul and Rawanduz have driven out the British troops and have
asked for Turkish help to prevent them from entering. (Note .—This pro-
bably refers to the movements of our column around Batas. The name of
tire tribe is unknown).
. \ I 1 . 6 -Turkish posts at Kurkit on the Khabur below Zakho continue their
activities, stopping kelleks and firing on them if they disobey the order
rniormation trom two lurkish deserters states that the Turks have a
definite plan for the invasion of ‘Iraq, the objectives being Dair-al-Zor, Mosul
Tnnfw dad ' , Tleir ^ lan use chiefl y tribes witb a backing of 500 to
p’l roops, guns and machine-guns. The leaders are said to be ‘Ajaimi
B^hdadf y A d rn^n mm ^ ? f Samarra, Hajji Rashid al Huwaidi, a
/The loo+’nnmArJ TUnai! Mosul and Muhammad Nadhim of Baghdad.
tribL 1 round^7 a i% Sen S S TfT three - montlls a 8'° h S tlle Turks to arm the
return to Afnrrlin" a TT° r5 ^ ie arrival there of the French forced him to
‘ \iaimi Pashq of +1 q rres ^ e ^ b T ihe Turks, but escaped and joined
Ajanm Pasha An Ottoman title used after the names of certain provincial governors, high-ranking officials and military commanders. at the latter s headquarters at Jabal ‘Abdul ‘Aziz).
tions fronf^Amfm 0 '! op ,fd a ^ ons ^ said to have been drawn up under instruc-
GarS/ ^V f -t 7 C °i! ll ! t on gaming the support of the Jubur, Tai,
ivargariyah and other tribes, but not the Shammar.
Extracts from the C.I.D. report for Mosul area attached.
the neiodibm!rbnnF T ^V Mllta J iri 4 Mlwan Jiave withdrawn altogether from
between °q f W i & u ' tlle . r hostilities have taken place
from the former t f' 11 , 4 Kuwait. A letter has been received
the arrival of ‘ Al i Vi'^ iab P r . e " occu P a ^ lons J chief among which is, he states,
at Basrab^bot at Map prevent him from attending the conference
Commissioner! H aCCept whatever decision may be come to by the High