File 1341/1921 Pt 1 'Khorassan Intelligence Summaries 1921-1922' [‎489v] (626/1080)

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.li «MMl Tl T X I ■I.I ■—MiT
‘ The individual entrusted with the raising of a force of 1,000 mounted men for
the descent upon Grumbad was the Sergei Sherbakov mentioned iri last week’s
Summary as having been summoned to Askhabad for the murder of his wife.
Bajgiran — 12th August. —The names of certain Bolshevik agents in Persia
have been communicated from a Russian source. These are : Quchan, Asker
Bagirov and Yussaf Shukurov.
Bujnurd, Sattar and Mir Abdulla Marandski.
Liaison between Bujnurd and Sabzewar, Ibrahim, son of Meshed Hussein.
Liaison between Sarakhs and Meshed, Ayub and Ahmad Aqa, sons of Akbar
Qara.
Liaison between Muhammadabad and Quchan, Abbas and Abdul Qasim.
On the 7th August a party of Bolsheviks was seen at work not far from the
former British post on this frontier and near the place where the latter had mined
the road. It transpired afterwards that the party was surveying a site of the
establishment of another frontier post or blockhouse in their own territory which
should have a command of fire and observation with respect to the above mentioned
English position.
The Russian and Persian restrictions regarding movements are still strictly
enforced.
Quchak — 15th and 18th August— According to reports of arrivals from
Bujnurd 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. Mu’aziz is collecting his khawanin sowars from all directions
for military training. His real object is not known but it is realized he distrusts
the present military Governor General of Meshed. Practically all his Turkmen
and his own followers are equipped with magazine rifles.
There is a very close scrutiny of arrivals from Russia by the Persian authorities.
Nevertheless undesirables succeed in getting through the frontier pass of Poh
Kalol.
On the 15th August local sowars of this district were summoned to Quchan
and despatched to Meshed to the number of forty. More are to follow. On the
18th all the mounted and dismounted gendarmes in Quchan went to Old Quchan
where an oath of fidelity to Colonel Muhammad Taqi Khan was administered to
them by the Imamzada there.
The mobilization of troops and present events in Meshed are causing much
comment among the local people who dislike the prospect of civil war.
Enlistment for the Khorasan Gendarmerie is in progress but as the allowance
in lieu of rations has been reduced the response is poor..
Darragaz and Lvtfabav— August 6th to 12th, — The following railway details
are received from Artik station officials
(i) There is no definite mail service between Merv and Askhabad. Any
train comprising in its composition five or six white wagons is called
a mail train.
(ii) The usual service between Merv and Kushk is one train every two days,
though if required additional trains are run.
(Hi) Railway servants working between Tashkent and Krasnovodsk are
exchanged between stations at intervals, starting from Tashkent
westwards. Thus Tashkent employes go to Samarkand, those of
Samarkand to Charjui, those from Charjui to Merv, and so on.
(iv) It is estimated there are now 160 locomotives available for service
between Tashkent and Krasnovodsk.
(v) Then men in the carriage and locomotive shops at Kizil Arvat are not
capable of a normal output owing to low wages and starvation. (Se&
last week’s Summary under “ Bujnurd ”, page 7.') The average of
renovations is not one wagon or coach per month.