File 1341/1921 Pt 1 'Khorassan Intelligence Summaries 1921-1922' [‎381r] (409/1080)

INTELLIGENCE SUMMARY FOR THE WEEK ENDING
NOVEMBER 19TH, 1921.
257^ KHORASAN.
Meshed. —The situation in the Province is normal and that in its
capital quiet. There is a certain amount of political rancour apparent in
the latter which is traceable to Major Mahmud Khan who has a small
following of officers of Gendarmerie who are disaffected. He is possibly
looked to with hope by the Turk element but has now no locus standi for he
has resigned the office of officiating Governor General and has been supei-
seded in the command of the Khorasan Gendarmerie by Major Jafar Khan.
There are signs that the Commander of the Persian Cossacks, Hussein Aqa
Mir Panj, is at the end of his patience with him and any day may see his
removal to Teheran. Yet he seems to possess a source of strength some
where but from whom or from whence flowing is not determinable. Other
wise he must have been arrested or deported long since. He telegraphed
his congratulations to the incoming Governor General and received a reply
which he had printed and published on house walls in the town. It is
believed that he, the Governor General designate, and Muhammad Taqi
Khan, were together in assisting Germany in the days of that nation’s
activities in Persia after August 1914.
The names of the clique of disaffected officers were given in last week’s
summary. To these may now be added Ibrahim and Ali Aqa. Apprehen
sive of arrest they sought asylum in the house of the Aghazada but Hussein
Aqa Mir Panj has permitted them to resign the service—-a politic move for
the terms of the amnesty offered to all officers remain inviolate.
Some officers of the Gendarmerie met in the house of one of their num
ber, Sultan Abdul Razaq, and decided they would resign if the promotions
conferred on them by Muhammad Taqi Khan are revoked.
There are still cases of the evasion of military duty by men of the
Persian Cossacks who, to that en<^, seek sanctuary in the shrine. There is
a good deal of sickness also among them, the authorities of the American
hospital having to turn away an excess of applicants for admission.
Salar Amjad, once Commander of the regular infantry in Meshed but
relieved of that appointment by Muhammad Taqi Khan, has returned from
Teheran and has been posted as major in the Gendarmerie.
No information of the apprehension of the Barbaris who deserted from
their post at Qazimabad, eight miles from Meshed on the Quchan road, has
been received. 'They have been accused of robbing travellers. Another
post, also of Barbaris, and situate south of Turaq on the Turbat road, was
looted and deserted. The moving spirit in these happenings is thought in
some circles to be Major Mahmud Khan who would like to point to the dis
orders that arise as soon as he resigns office.
There continue to be individual cases also of desertion from among the
gendarmes of this tribe.
The Barbari officers of the Gendarmerie have been addressed by Hussein
Aqa Mir Panj who on behalf of the Government commanded them and their
men for their loyal attitude. He announced an intention of retaining 3
companies of them in the Khorasan Gendarmerie who would engage to serve
for three years. Others might take their discharge. It is probable that
the command of the tribal detachment will be under Naib Abdulla—he who
forced Major Ismail Khan, Bahadur, to take sanctuary on the 16th October
fast.,
L 686(S)F&PD
ENG. in INDIA
; 'gEC RlLTAirr s NO 106 M
DATED 5 tli J/vM-
• \
®ecc. 23rd JAN.