File 1341/1921 Pt 1 'Khorassan Intelligence Summaries 1921-1922' [‎434r] (515/1080)

SECRET.
No. 40.
INTELLIGENCE SUMMARY FOR THE WEEK ENDING OCTOBER 1st, 1921.
226 .
KHORASAN.
Meshed .—An interesting development of the Khorasan situation has been
the revolt against Muhammad Taqi Khan of the sab-provinces of Bujnurd,
Shirwan and Quchan.
This move was somewhat unexpected, partly because the suppression of
the local news agencies has resulted in a great scantiness of information, and
partly because the authorities at present in power rigidly stop all sources of
leakage.
Nevertheless, rumours have not been wanting to show that something was
developing in the north. A gendarme was overheard to say to a comrade :
“It is a pity Quchan has gone bad At another time a story was prevalent
that imperial troops were in occupation of Quchan. A week later the local
authorities published one of their now customary communiques in which they
acknowledged that Quchan “ had gone bad”. They sought to minimise the
effects of that and declared the situation had been restored.
A few days previously Muhammad Taqi Khan had departed for the south,
though to which particular front did not transpire. Later advices, issued by his
own office in Meshed, stated he was at Gunabad, that is, south of Turbat-i-
Haidari. It is more likely that the fighting at Aliak claimed his attention.
He returned to Meshed on the 1st October, accomplishing the last stage
of the journey on a camel, for what reason is not clear, though it may be his
horse had failed from exhaustion.
He left Meshed practically immediately for Quchan.
No news of the situation there had filtered through as, unfortunately, the
resident agent is unable to function owing to the undertaking to abstain from
Persian intelligence work for the present. Sufficient evidence is to hand,
though, to show that the communique mentioned above was inexact in its
definitions, that the situation had not been restored in Muhammad Taqi
Khan’s favour, and that he has temporarily, if not permanently, lost the north
of the Province—a very serious blow to his authority and prestige and the loss
of his best recruiting area.
It is possible that the loss of Quchan will be followed by that of Darragaz
and Barringer. So long as Quchan is held by the loyalist faction. Muhammad
Taqi Khan is denied the chief way of access to the sub-province of Darragaz
(which includes Barringer) for the route thereto from Meshed lies through
Quchan, either via Bazgiran, or across the Khuni Maidan and formidable Allah
ho Akbar Pass. There are other roads thereto from Meshed, either via,
Khakistar and Archingan, or via Rudkhan, but none would use these who was
not forced to.
Hence, it is claimed that the opinion offered in earlier issues of this
Summary, namely, that Muhammad Taqi Khan has never had the Province
behind him, was correct, for the insurrection in the Bujnurd, Shirwan and
Quchan districts appears to be purely local, carried out, it is believed, by the
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. of Bujnurd and other frontier, Kurd Khawanin such as Parajulla Khan
who owns practically the whole of the Shirwan district.
There is no change in the situation as regards the relations between the
British official community and Muhammad Taqi Khan. Its liberty of com
munication with India and Tehran is still controlled. An agent of this office
wasarrested and deported towards the Sabzawar front in circumstances of
some brutality. His arrest and disappearance.gave rise to the belief that he
had been shot, which so intimidated others serving in the same capacity that
no service was received from them for two days.
Strong representations were made by His Majesty’s Consul-General in the
cam of the arrested agent whose apprehension was a gross outrage upon the
nrivile<ms enjoyed by this office by tacit accord of His Imperial Majesty the
Shah’s "Government. After some prevarication and an attempt to assume that
EatC. in INDIA FOREIGN
I 'SECRETARY’S NO 96M