File 1341/1921 Pt 1 'Khorassan Intelligence Summaries 1921-1922' [‎534v] (716/1080)

Zabardast Khan is confined in a room in the offices of the Special Denari
ment at Tashkent.
A letter from Shahrud states that sixty mule-loads of Persian fiv e -kran
pieces have passed through that place en route to Tehran to the address of the
Russian Minister.
In Baku strikes among workmen are of daily occurrence owing to the
want of food.
Darragaz. —The situation is normal. Martial law still prevails.
Lutjabad. —The following aggregate of troops and details is reported to
have passed Artik between the 1st and 6th July, both dates included
Westwards—180 troops, 12 travelling field kitchens, 60 camels.
Eastwards—270 troops with arms, 25 unarmed.
In addition to the above 29 wagon-loads of destitute people from Kazan
passed westwards.
One of the station staff of Qauvshut, a station, a little east of Artik, states
that the railway line from Kagan to Karki has been repaired to within two
stations of Karki. The normal train service from Merv to Kushk is three
trains a week but that trains in excess of this are run if required. He gives a
higher minimum of trains on the Tashkent-Orenburg Railway than that
afforded by the testimony of arrivals from that direction and says that the
figure is one mail and two other trains daily each way. The maximum that
has been run on this line has been seven each way in 24 hours. The present
normal running from Tashkent to Krasnovodsk is three mail trains per week
each way. The maximum number run in 24 hours has been five from Krasno-
vodsk to Tashkent and seven from Tashkent to Krasnovodsk. Troop trains if
required run in excess of this minimum number.
The number of locomotives available between Krasnovodsk and Tashkent
is “ small ” 63, “ large ” 93. Serviceable “ Kizil Arvat ” locomotives (Kefits
from the Kizil Arvat shops is probably meant here) are 21 in number.
Persians arriving at the frontier from Turkestan give the following
information:—
Animals are being taxed in terms of their produce, hence seven eggs each
per month ; a cow two pounds of butter ; 100 sheep 30 pounds of butter per
month and 50 pounds of wool. Those villages which do not raised poultry
have to find a tribute of 500 eggs and other provisions according to the stock
maintained.
The Bolsheviks contemplate increasing the importance of Termez by
making it the headquarters of all the surrounding districts and by increasing
its garrison in their general scheme of strengthening their military commit*
ments along the Afghan frontier. Meetings are held there and at Karki every
week and speeches delivered whose purport seeks to inspire the people to hoist
the Red Blag at Kabul and Peshawar in order to release their oppressed
brethren from the dominion of despots.
xue -Doisuevncs sunjects nave wearied or their rulers and to a degree that
they are praying for invasion by a foreign Power. The Old Bokharans saj
hey would rather be massacred by the sword of the foreigner than remain anj
longer under the Bolshevik yoke while their “ Young ” brethren are alsc
internally discontented but are working hard at the education of the people.
Zabardast Khan s party is deserting to Persia by ones and twos. Wen
•tu !? re e y wouid not be moiested by the Persian gendarmes the whole lol
•r 1 ! i a ^ ew ^i eves murderers wQuld come over. The
Bolshevik officials at Artik are maintaining a liaison with Zabardast Khan’*
par izans in Lutfabad and Muhammadabad, bidding them not to lose head
but to await their chief who will soon return with a large army to avenge his
U r€tu I n . , ^ ese consoling tidings the said partizans send provisions
all KavkazC 7 ° fficials whose names are Ismai l> Amir Aslan and Muhammad,