File 1341/1921 Pt 1 'Khorassan Intelligence Summaries 1921-1922' [‎292v] (232/1080)

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Bolsheviks enlist men between the ages of 16 and 40, and the Young Bokharan
Government those from 18 to 35. The Commander of the Young Bokharan troops
is Hasan Affendi, an Ottoman Turk.
Samarkand.
5. 31st March. —Garrison 3,000, including 500 cavalry, mostly Muhammadans.
The headquarters of the 1st (Moscow) Red Division are at Samarkand ; commander,
Kerchenski an ex-Tsarist officer.
Bands of rebels from Shahr-i-Sabz operate against Samarkand, and many of
the Bolshevik guards and recruits desert to join the rebels.
The Propoganda School opened in January last has its own press which prints
leaflets for distribution in Persia and Afghanistan. The leaflets are forwarded
to these countries through Askhabad.
Refugees 15,000 of whom about 50 die daily.
Cherniyevo.
6. 31st March. —Garrison 600, including 100 cavalry. All troops stationed
here belong to the 7th Samara Regiment, and are mostly Russians.
On the 24th March 250 wounded arrived from Ferghana.
Tashkent.
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7. 31st March. —A disturbance by the railway workers was reported to have
taken place on the 26th March. This was settled by the Governor increasing the
bread allowance.
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Men who have been recruited forcibly by the Bolsheviks in all parts of
Turkestan arrive here daily. (Various reports indicate that recruits are sent to
Samarkand as well as Tashkent.)
Ferghana.
8. 29th March. —Reference Summary No. 8, paragraph 17. Rebels led by Kar
Sher Muhammad numbering 20,000 and including 2,000 Turkomans occupied
Jalalabad, Andijan, Arsip and Marghilan, and continued the advance to within
30 versts of Khokand. The Bolsheviks sent down reinforcements from Samarkand
and Tashkent, defeated the rebels, driving them back and out of Marghilan. Bol
sheviks used bombing aeroplanes in these actions. The rebels had removed railway
line for 20 versts east of Marghilan. Fighting still continues.
Orenburg.
9. 31st March.—k. rising of the Cossacks against the Communists is reported
in this area, but no news as to what extent.
GENERAL.
Turkestan.
Throughout the whole of Turkestan the Bolsheviks are experiencing great
annoyance from the rebels, the areas most affected are south of Bokhara and in
the Ferghana District. The rebels, a proportion of whom are Turkomans gain
initial success, but are invariably driven back into the hills when the Bolsheviks
appear in force. The latter gain much success from the use of their bombing planes,
but at the same time are forced to move troops, sometimes great distances, to subdue
or drive the rebels back into the hills.
Enlistment by force is practised in all places, the ages generally being from 16 to
40. Many of these recruits manage to escape and immediately join the rebel bands.
All towns are full of refugees and efforts are made in some places to feed them
but numbers are dying from starvation and disease.
Local. —The Afghan Consul at Meshed interviewed a Turkoman well known to
us on the 17th instant, and told him that the Amir of Afghanistan had asked that the
Turkomans should join the Afghans in the event of a war against the Bolsheviks.