File 1341/1921 Pt 1 'Khorassan Intelligence Summaries 1921-1922' [‎670v] (988/1080)

(2) An envoy from the Turkish government is still expected and the neces
sary preparations for his reception and transmission to Herat have been made
at Chihil Dukhtaran.
(3) Yulusov returned to Russia on the 6th Pebruary, alleging the severe
illness of his mother at Tashkent. His wife remains at Herat and the work
of the consulate is carried on by his subordinates.
(4) On the 9th February the Turkish Colonel Azmi Bey with a staff of
7 persons and a military escort arrived from Kabul and Kandahar en route
for Russia.
60. Military .—Two squadrons of cavalry have been ordered by the Naib
Salar to be in readiness to move at short notice. Ko explanation is so far
forthcoming.
The Herat garrison is apparently apprehensive of being ousted from em
ployment as soon as the foreshadowed “ hasht-nafri ” comes into force, and
have requested the Naib Salar to testify to the Amir their gratitude for the
higher rate of pay which they enjoy and their readiness to renounce it.
Russian Turkistan.
61. Current events. —Recent reports from Turkistan indicate the existence
of a potentially serious state of affairs for the Bolsheviks w ? hich, judging from
reports from Baku and rumours from Russia proper, may have more than a
local significance. The origin of the trouble appears to be a serious split
between the Communist and other sections of Bolsheviks, and as far as Baku
is concerned to be complicated by friction with Georgia, the Kemalists, and
Azerbaijan. That something more than rumour is in question is proved by
Bolshevik proclamations stating that no truth is to be attached to reports of
the imminent evacuation of Baku, or exaggeration made of reports of
sporadic risings in various parts of Turkistan r ? ue to British instigation and
easily suppressed, and by the despatch of troops to Baku at a time when the
epidemic prevailing . there renders such action particularly undesirable.
Bolshevik proclamations have also regretfully announced that the present
unrest has rendered it. necessary to withhold for the present the promised
release of soldiers over 30 years of age.
As regards internal affairs in Turkistan a sharp recrudescence of hostili
ties in Khiva in mid-January, the continuance of guerilla fighting in both
Ferghana and Bokhara, and the intense resentment w^hich the latest Bolshevist
haislmess towards the Turkman in the wholesale commandeering of their
live-stock has aroused in that people would appear to render the present a very
unpropitious moment for a crisis. Material conditions at Askhabad are
described as more tnan ordinarily miserable, and want of food and forage (in
spite of the receipt of grain from Persia wBich according to some sources is
being sent through to Russia proper) and analogous conditions at other centres
might well, m combination with disgruntled warriors whose release is indefi
nitely postponed, contribute to a movement against the universally execrated
Jewish regime. n,■...-—.i.,... >■■«•»»—
Athough latest reports indicate pre-occupations of this nature the Persian
and Afghan questions and the ever busy British still receive attention from
Bolshevist orators. The pendulum of Soviet favour has once more swing in
^ * 1 ! e . ctl . on of Afghanistan whose business-like acceptance of Bolshevik
friendship is favourably contrasted with the attitude of vacillating Persia which
I has ren ff red P romise d withdrawal of Red forces from the Resht area
impossible and may moreover entail her invasion from many frontier points
?on oftroot nfV^r-A he Af§han , S aTe a = ain “ d ^eoncenlra-
tion of tioops on her frontier are entirely directed against the English in India
and confidence in her co-operation in this task is expressed °
rentlv^rernaimmy^th^^V w ®®^ ward tendency continues, Baku appa-
e , eneiullv renorted th ® n although some increase at Askhabad is
of 22 wagons of frnn . rm » ^ first 11 days of the current month only 1 train
movLenfs anmir h?h 7 eS i d) ls . r 1 e P 0 [ t 1 ed Artik. From othe/ sources
mo ements appear to have been considerably in excess of this number.