File 1341/1921 Pt 1 'Khorassan Intelligence Summaries 1921-1922' [‎231r] (109/1080)

SECRET.
Meshed Intelligence Diary No. 29 for the period ending the 4th September 1922.
Local.
*
1. Agent at Kuchan reports that the Caucasian Turks there have received
news that Enver Pasha’s army has been defeated by the Russians. Although all
the Staff officers were captured, Enver managed to escape, but was overtaken near
Bokhara City, and in the fighting, was killed. His body is said to have been taken
to Tashkent for the purpose of identification. The Turks of Kuchan confess that
they think the news true.
2. News has been received at the Russian Consulate that a passenger steamer
has been sunk in the Caspian between Baku and Krasnovodsk. The steamer was
carrying 800 (sic) passengers, the majority of whom were troops, and all were drown
ed. The cause of the sinking is unknown.
Transcaspia.
3. Lutjabad, 25th August. —A train load of wounded from Bokhara passed
on the 23rd August, going to Askhabad. Another train of 13 wagons filled with
naked soldiers passed going to Krasnovodsk. The latter troops were being evacuat
ed for attempting to join the rebels.
4. August 31st. —Lawlessness is prevalent in Askhabad, where robberies and
murders are committed nightly. The principal sufferers are Bolshevik officials.
The cause is put down to extreme hunger.
5. Persian Sarakhs, 31st August. —On the 29th August 300 Turkomans, Afghans
and Jamshadis were approaching Russian Sarakhs from the direction of Kushk.
The Russians sent a force against them, causing the rebels to retire towards Tejend,
where they ran into another Russian detachment. A fighting ensued, in which
men on both sides were killed. The rebels ran away towards the Khivan frontier.
6. News has been received at Persian Sarakhs that there has been a skirmish
between Russians and Afghans near Zulfikar. As the majority of Haji Quli’s
men wear Afghan dress, it is quite possible that the supposed Afghans were followers
of Haji Quli.
7. Old sleepers collected from the railway line to Askhabad and Tashkent, are
being sent from Merv to Kushk to be used in the construction of trenches. A large
number of workmen have also been sent to Kushk. Trains with sealed wagons are
passing through Merv for Kushk ; contents of the wagons unknown.
8. Charjui, 18th August.—Troops, war material and supplies are being hurried
by river and road to Termez. Included in the war material were 20 armoured cars
and a number of motor lorries from Tashkent.
9. Bokharan subjects from 18 to 45 years are enlisted by force and sent to
Tashkent, whilst the names only of Russians between 16 and 35 are recorded, and
they are allowed to go on condition that they report when called upon to do so.
10. Reports from Khiva state that very severe fighting is in progress. Many
reinforcements are being sent from Charjui.
11. Russian newspapers are again attacking the British and French, stating
that these two countries are assisting the Greeks to occupy Constantinople, “ the
home of the Prophet”, in order to destroy the Mohamedan world.
Bokhara.
12. Lutfabad reports state that there are rumours of Enver Pasha’s defeat and
death, but arrivals from Bokhara say that the statements are false, and that Enver
has only retreated to the mountains to draw the Russians on.
13. On the 22nd August the rebels damaged a railway bridge between Karakul
and Kagan, cut the telegraph wires and decamped. A train with empty wagons
in crossing shortly after crashed through the bridgeE NT C. in INI? IA FORE.IGr N
FECRITART’S NO 72M J
r ATFD OCT 5 .