File 1341/1921 Pt 1 'Khorassan Intelligence Summaries 1921-1922' [‎636v] (920/1080)

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Tarmez .—A casual who left this tow on the 1st April reports it was
isolated telegraphically, the line having been cut by insurgents. He states
that representatives from Mazar-i-Sharif were called to Kabul to vote for
or against the Anglo-Afghan treaty. The concensus of opinion was said to
have been in favour of it.
The casual reports fighting still in progress at Karshi. Many are Joining
the Amir in prosecution of jahad. He holds Baisun, Sherabad, Beh-i-Nao,
Yurchi, Hissar, Kolab, Doshamba, Baljawan, Gurgan Tappe, Ekkabagh,
Shahar-i-Sabz, and other places. The actual fighting is at' Guzar and Karshi.
The Sarts have attacked Tarmez three times but have been beaten off by
the Bolsheviks from behind their permanent fortification. No food is obtainable
by the garrison from the surrounding country but is procurable from Afghans
in exchange for arms and ammunition.
There is an Afghan officer with an escort of ten men in Tarmez. 500
Afghan troops are under canvas on the south bank of the Amu Darya and a
large number is reported to be at Dehdadi.
Six travellers passed through Tarmez in March. They were believed to
be Turks.
Kushk .—The garrison previously contained a majority of Mussulman
elements. A casual who left on the 1st April reports that the reverse of this
now obtains and that now Russians preponderate.
He states there are five forts in the defensive scheme—Alexandrovski,
Virbaluchiski, and Uralski. The names of the remaining two were not know
to him.
These forts are separated at some distance from each other and are
connected by telephone, the exchange being in Fort Alexandrovski, near which,
also, is the wireless station. There is an outer enceinte of wire and trenches
and at some distance from the forts'.
There is a high observation post occupied by day by two men with
telescopes. At night a searchlight is in operation. Large quantities of war
stores are reputed to be present in the fortress. None is allowed entrance
and even soldiers have to be in possession of passes.
Jamshedi raiding into Afghanistan has been stopped by close observation
and threats of death for those guilty.
Kushk is supplied with water from the Murghab. There are said to be
three pumping stations on the river bank and about 2.000 yards apart. Two
raise water for irrigation and the third for the supply of the forts and garrison
generally. There are three reservoirs which are protected by trenches and
sangars. The well and stream water native to Kushk is brackish. The power
station appears to be out of operation, or partly so, for, according to tbiq
casual there is very little electric illumination. * *
Afghaxistax.
„ 11L Herat.— & Khwaja from Qila Nao has applied to the Naib-ul-Hukumat
ior permission to repatriate fifty Hazara families from Russia. The request
was granted. * 4
tt T he . State ^ liests ‘ mentioned in the last Summary arrived in
lierat on the 5th instant and were putting up at their Consulate. The total
is 16, of whom one calls himself adviser to the Russian Minister at Kabul,
o are clerks, 8 are Cossacks and 4 are women. They had 12 loads of oil
Coi teuffoT 6 ’ 2 ° f 8 ° f iti0n > 4 tents! 12 pairs of yakdans:
Contents of remaining baggage not know. There was an Afridi with the
paity to who£e presence the Afghan authorities stronglv objected but he was
protected from interference by his Bolshevik sponsors. " ^
01 i tw ,° co y r 1 ® d tra y s w as sen! to the Naib-ul-Kukumat bv the
nAAA™ th? SCk' ( ,; alls wero made 011 the former. The women in the
party accompanied the callers.
P n ? ^ tt ie Russians mentioned how the British accuse the Soviet Govern-
world 0t haVmg n ° m ° ney whGn ’ as a matter of fact it was the richest in the