File 1341/1921 Pt 1 'Khorassan Intelligence Summaries 1921-1922' [‎628v] (904/1080)

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Currency notes have been recalled to permit oi new issue,
75. Military .-—1 company each of the following units have been despatched
in relief to the frontier points shewn :—-
Khaki battalion to Kushk.
Ghaznachi battalion to Chihil Dukhtaran.
Kandahari battalion to Kafir Qalah.
3rd Herati battalion to Qalah-i-Naa,
Jadidi Kabuli battalion to Gulran.
9th Herati battalion to Dahna-'i-Zulfiqar.
20 more khavanin have been accepted,
Russian Turkistak,
75, Current events.—Mie'port from arrivals who lelt Tnrkistan dining the
3rd week of February point to fairly stormy conditions eailier in the month.
The trouble, already indicated, at Tashkent was apparently uue to tae split
in Bolshevik seel ions; Infoimants are somewhat vagne as to what these
sections consist of and mention Communists on the one side,, and the Centre
partv ” and Bolsheviks ” on the other. It is probable that right, centre,
and left are meant, the Communists representing the_ last-named. The grain
supply from Persia formed the casus belli. This was being sent straight through
to Russia on Communist initiative and other parties required that distress in
Turkistan should be alleviated by a fair proportion, A round-table conference
was arranged early in the month hut the meeting speedily degenerated! into indis
criminate abuse. Its conclusion was the signal lor an outbreak in the town which
continued for about a week, and in the course of which the soldiery fired on the
mob on several occasions. Much material damage was done and between 1,000
and 2,000 casualties caused before order, chiefly on the initiative of Moscow, was
restored. During the disturbance the train service to and from Tashkent was
held up in order that no inkling of the trouble should precipitate similar out
breaks elsewhere. A Commission of Enquiry was on its way from Moscow to
Tashkent to allay the dissensions and hit on a working arrangement satisfactory
to both parties, but in view of their widely divergent aims it was thought unlikely
that the truce would'be lasting. The more moderate parties are said to be set
on a complete change in the administration and on the introduction of really
democratic institutions, while the Communists hold out for wholehearted Com
munism as an enduring institution.
Reports of the recurrence of fighting in Ferghana and in the Karshi,
Guzar, and Shirabad districts of Bokhara are universal. Beyond the despatch
of reinforcements and the arrival of wounded there are no details to hand of the
latter, but the Bolsheviks are generally thought to be meeting with a fairly tough
resistance.
As regards Ferghana an arrival from Andijan states that on the 10th Feb
ruary the Sarts in force made a determined attack on Andijan but ware
repulsed after 6 hours’ fighting. The estimates of Bolshevik casualties (pro
bably exaggerated) are 300 killed and 1,000 wounded, and the Sarts are thought
to have lost still more heavily, Sart raids in the districts still continue. The
Red troops, who are thoroughly sick of this desultory fighting, are reported to bo
coming round to the view that the Sarts have right on their side, and, in spite
of orders to the contrary, to be fraternising with the inhabitants. A high mili
tary officer on a special mission of reorganisation from Moscow was assassinated
at Andijan early in last month. The murderer escaped but some 30 leading
Sarts, including mullahs and merchants, were arrested and deported to Tash
kent in consequence.
Russian women and children from Andijan have been sent to Tashkent for
safety.
Bolshevik speakers express great mortification at this recrudescence of dis
order in Bokhara and Ferghana, one main ground being that the repressive
measures entailed will delay the bearing of the torch of liberty to Persia. At
one meeting it was stated that Red forces might still be entangled with English
troops in Persia and that it was the duty of every patriot to facilitate by
abstaining from local friction the transfer of troops from Turkistan to Persia.
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