File 1341/1921 Pt 1 'Khorassan Intelligence Summaries 1921-1922' [‎192v] (32/1080)

7. Kushk, November 24th .—Reports regarding the redaction of the>
garrison at Kushk are confirmed. The following units have been transferred
2nd Turkistan Kifle Eegiment to Samarkand.
5th Turkistan Infantry Regiment to Bokhara (Kagan).
Three other Regiments have been or are now being transferred to Tashkent
for onward despatch to Moscow for demobilisation. Each Regiment is estimated
400 strong and this will leave the Kushk garrison roughly 3,000 men.
8. Tejend, December 4^.-—Khawja Quli (Diary. 42, paragraph 11)
continuing his activities, made a determined attack on Tejend about November
30th when his force was completely routed by Bolshevik troops. The rebels
suffered severe casualties but Khawja Quli, in spite of a large number of his
followers being captured, managed to escape in a southerly direction. His
return to Afghanistan is generally anticipated.
—’ 9. Merv, December 4th.—Fom: hundred volunteers for service in Turkey
are bein? drilled in Merv. They are stated to have a distinguishing mark on
the hand, star and crescent stamped in red.
10. The propaganda department at Merv is reported to be busy training
agents for Afghanistan, Persia and Mesopotamia.
11. Three hundred refugees from Astarakan have recently arrived at Merv
where they are being looked after. Physically they are in a shocking condition
and the majority are naked.
12. The Military Commissar at Merv is Nicolai Rotsaeff.
13. On the night 29th-30th November a train passed containing 400 young
soldiers, unarmed, of No. 2 Kazan Regiment eu>Krasnovodsk en route Kagan.
The majority were sick and badly clothed.
Bokhara.
14. Reference Diary 42, paragraph 12. It is now understood that Sardar Leader of a tribe or a polity; also refers to a military rank or title given to a commander of an army or division.
Juma Khan is regarded as Afghan Minister and not Consul as stated. This
information comes from the Afghan Consul, Meshed.
15. Reference Diary 41, paragraph 16. Ata Khawja is at present acting
in Bokhara for Faizullah Khawja, President of the Republic.
The name of the individual who was killed by the Bolsheviks and said to
have been mistaken by them for Enver Pasha An Ottoman title used after the names of certain provincial governors, high-ranking officials and military commanders. , is given as Yaz Quli Pelwam
He was Enver’s right hand man and was killed in the fighting north of Termez
about three months ago. His body was carried off by the Bolsheviks,
16. Pighting, in the vicinity of Shar-i-Sabz, Yhakabagh and Kitab was
in progress up till November 24th, and Kitab was still held by the rebels.
(Diary 42, paragraph 14.)
The rebels under Usman Beg (Diary 41, paragraph 16) and Daniel Lazgi
(Diary 41, paragraph 23) are increasing their forces and the preaching of a holy
war is reported to have been commenced throusrhout Bokharan Province. An
armoured train is now protecting Bokhara-Karshi line owing to rebel activities
in this area.
17. Samarkand, November 28th. —A motor car containing two senior
Bolshevik officers with an escort of four soldiers, was ambushed on the
Samarkand-Kitab road on November 20th, by rebels. All the occupants of
the car were killed and the car was set on fire and destroyed.
18. Raids on the outskirts of Samarkand,! Kata Kurghan and Kermineh
are reported to have taken place on November 26th. Juma bazar between
Samarkand and Katta Kurghan, on the railway, was looted on the same date.
19. A reliable reporter states that the Bolsheviks are shortly going to
tackle the rebel question seriously and that a large mobile force is being
organised at Samarkand for this purpose. The rebels are certainly getting
more courageous and raid posts which are strongly fortified.