File 1341/1921 Pt 1 'Khorassan Intelligence Summaries 1921-1922' [‎648r] (943/1080)

The Afghan Consular escort at Bokhara is not allowed Jto carry arms
Bokharans are registering themselves as Afghans in order to obtain passports
to escape to Afghanistan. 1 1
Samara .-—A casual arriving from this centre confirms the report previously
received as to the forced work in the two ammunition factories there The
operatives are engaged night and day in 4 reliefs of 500 each.
Lack of food and fuel has led to rioting and the picketing of the town bv
the military. The two hospitals are full of sick and wounded.
Tahhta Becent reports confirm those previously received as to the
access to the town being confined to three or four bridges over entrenchments.
Turkomans of this area are discontented and resent the impressment of their
women for education in Bolshevism. State bakeries are being started even in
small villages while the levy on sheep is said to be 83 per cent.
Task Kopri.- Military labour is being employed for agriculture. The
usual discontent and lack of the necessary things of life are reported from this
area.
Herat.
March ISth .—It is currently supposed that the Amir is not well disposed
towards the Bolsheviks and has concluded a secret agreement with the Otto
man members of the Mission at Kabul.
{b) A Bolshevik trader visited Colonel Abdurrahman Khan at Chahil
Dukhtaran with the object of establishing business there. He was told the
•Afghans had no faith in Bolshevik undertakings and that they should pay com
pensation for the losses sustained by Afghans in their war in Bokhara.
(c) There was a stampede of horses at Kushk which led to misucderstand-
ings, the Bolsheviks thinking the Afghans who tried to turn the horses back
were raiders. There was some shooting followed by apologies and explana
tions.
{d) The eight Indians referred to in the preceding week’s summary have
been sent to Kabul under escort.
{e) Mirza Hussein Quli, formerly First Assistant to the Afghan Ambassa
dor at Teheran, has been recalled to Kabul for a reason unknown.
(e) Rumours are prevalent that the murderer of Bravin was a servant of
the Civil Brigadier of Ghazni and that in consequence of the crime the Maliks
and Governor of Ghazni have been dismissed. Abdul Karim Khan, son of
Khan Alam, has been appointed Governor.
(/) Ghulam Nabi Khan, the new Naib Salar of Herat, writes from Kan
dahar that on relief by General Abdul Qayum he will proceed to Herat.
(g) The two Russians and one Turk who were arrested on the frontier
some time ago are to be expelled from Afghanistan. Besides these, two others,
a Jew and a Turkoman, have been expelled from Kafir Qala. Informant un
fortunately does not give names.
(h) An Indian who arrived here from Russia and was in custody has been
sent to Kabul. It is said be was carrying letters for Jamal Pasha An Ottoman title used after the names of certain provincial governors, high-ranking officials and military commanders. .
(j) Ponies were being hired by the Bolshevik Consulate for the despatch
of some person or persons to Kabul.
Bolshevek Garrisons,
The following garrisons have been reported by agents or elicited from
casuals:—
KrasnovodsL — 7 th to 12 th March. 500, including 51 Russian cavalry.
Hetachments from the following units: 3rd Persian, 4 th Andijan (Saits).
Poltaratak (Askhabad) Regiment. One field gun and 3 machine guns were
seen, also 3 staff motor cars.
JsJchabad—An observer on the Persian frontier reports that on the 19th
March 5,74l troops arrived from Tashkent. The total number at Askhabad
was thus raised to 8,467. He does not state bis source of information but
goes on to say that the majority of these troops was Tatar and Qirqiz and that
the force included 1 5 field and 39 machine guns.