File 1341/1921 Pt 1 'Khorassan Intelligence Summaries 1921-1922' [‎711r] (1069/1080)

3
In this connection large sums of specie are said to have been despatched to
Enzeli to pacify the late victims of lied tyranny in Gilam
(4) In spite of protestations of friendship to Afghanistan on the part of
Bolshevik officials and speakers informants still consider that the Bolsheviks
entertain distrust of the Afghan attitude. Bolsheviks at Kushk are reported
to have relaxed their efforts at restraining the Jamshadis from raiding the
Afghan frontier, and tke interchange of friendly visits between Afghan
and Bolshevik frontier officials has lately become less frequent. Afghans at
Merv are being forced to labour on the pretext that the brotherly relations
between the two countries justify their being treated on a par with .Russian
subjects. Harsh treatment of Turkman continued and much anxiety has
been aroused among them by Bolshevist projects for training the young idea in
special schools giving instruction in Bolshevist principles.
(5) The above-mentioned Persian deserter states that he met our two sowars
in Bolshevik hands—Gulfaraz Khan and Lai Khan—at Tashkent and that
at their instance he obtained railway warrants for them to Askhabad where
they arrived on the 24th December with the hope of escaping.
15 Bolshevik garrisons. Hi. —16th December Two thousand troops
mostly Tatars and Kirghiz. Well armed with 3-line rifles but clothing defective.
Two field guns and one airplane not in flying condition.
Tashkent. —20th December. About 3,000 troops. There were many
wounded both from Perghana and Bussia, and it had been necessary to secure
additional hospital accommodation.
Kerki. —15th December, About 8,000 troops in the Kerki region distri
buted Kerki 4,000, Kilif 3,000 and Bosagha 2,000. (The last two are hearsay
and very possibly exaggerated.) The majority of troops are Musulmans
although there is a fair percentage of Russians. Officers are Russians and
Jews. All troops armed with the 3-line rifle. Clothing defective.
Bolshevik posters announced their own casualties in Kerki operations as
1,500 and placed those of the Turkman at 8,000.
An Austrian doctor with his wife and three other Austrians arrived from
Mazar-i-Sharif on the 11th December.
Turkman are being conscripted for manual labour and sent to work on
the Karshi-Kerki railway which is said to be making slow progress.
Less Afghan merchants are now trading at Kerki owing to fear of a
Bolshevik-Afghan rupture.
Kushk. —21st December. Twelve thousand or upwards. Majority
Musulmans but a fair proportion of Russians An exclusively Jewish
battalion is maintained in a troop-train in the station. Among units
identified are the following : 2nd Turkistan battalion, 18th Cherniaev battalion,
26th Yyerni battalion, 4th Kazan battalion, a Centre cavalry regiment (no
number given), and an Orenburg battery. The men are well-armed but their
clothing is inferior. Pour heavy and 25 to 30 field guns were seen. There
is an armoured train in the station, three airplanes, six armoured cars, nine
lorries and several automobiles and two search-lights which constantly work
at night. The place is now very strongly defended several observation posts
being included. The underground ammunition dump is strongly guarded,
and the guard on the wireless station has recently been increased to 50 men.
Large numbers of animal and wheeled transport and of cattle continue to
be brought in from Merv, and are commandeered from the surrounding
Turkman.
M erV ' —26th December. Strength between 3,000 and 4,000. Mostly
Musulmans armed with 3-line rifles. Pield guns estimated at 8'3 airplanes.
Two armoured engines passed to Kushk on the 24th Becember.
Many Turkman are being conscripted for work in the Kushk-Takhta
Bazar area, and much transport, wheeled and animal, is being sent to Kushk.
Several reports state that Mehr Ali has been arrested and replaced as a
propagandist by one Hajji Bela.