File 4722/1918 Pt 8 'Mesopotamia: Situation' [‎120r] (250/995)

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‘Azzali \\ ith whom lie had great influence and it was no doubt due to him that
the bulk of the ‘Azzah did not join in the disturbances. He was kept in
safety by Shaikh Habib al Khaizran at Dali ‘Abbas and when on September
11th, he joined the relief column, Habib and several other Shaikhs of the
‘Azzah, Jubur and Karkhiyah accompanied him. They stated that they had
been led‘to believe by the nationalist party at Baghdad that the British Gov
ernment would not carry out the policy outlined in General Maude’s procla
mation and other announcements. They were persuaded that Yusuf Suwaidi
and Muhammad al Sadr were genuinely striving to attain national liberty
but they admitted that the chaos which they had brought about was not the
proper means to this end. The looting of Ba‘qubah was as unforseen, they
protested, by themselves as by us, but our failure to check a lawless band of
robbers had made it impossible for them to hold their tribesmen, especially
as the Shi‘ahs regard obedience to the command of their mujtahids as a part
of their religious obligations and took their orders from Saiyid Muhammad
Sadr.
10. Simultaneously with the attack on Shahraban disturbances occurred
at Khaniqin, but they were of short duration. By August 20th, the A.P.O.,
Captain Masterson, who had been obliged to take refuge at railhead, was re
instated. On the right bank of the Diyalah the trouble spread through the
Kurdish tribes round Kifri, the Dilo, Jabbar, Daudi, Zanganah and Baiyat.
With the help of the townsmen Kifri was seized by the Dilo and -Tabbar on
August 19th and the A.P.O., Captain Salmon, imprisoned. On the approach
of the relief column from Kirkuk he was murdered by the tribes before they
took to flight and his body was found in the prison where he had been con-
flned when our troops entered Kifri on August 30th, Shaikh Hamid Talabani,
who had exerted his influence to control his clan, accepted the post of
Qaimmaqam, with the support of a British garrison.
11. Prom the Diyalah, Yusuf Suwaidi and. Saiyid Muhammad Sadr
extended their activities to the Tigris above Baghdad. At their direct insti-
gation the Albu Haiyaza‘, Bani Tamim and Khazraj, with local elements
of the ‘Azzah concentrated on Samarra on August 28th and sent a threatening
message to the notables of the town. The townsmen, terrified at the prospect
of tribal lawlessness, begged the P.O., Major Berry, not to abandon them and
the tribes were driven off without difficulty. The two_agitators passed over
to Sumaichah and Balad. The government representative, Ahmad Bey, took
refuge with Shaikh Faisal of the Shammar and was extricated by his relatives
the ^Saqr tribe. The railway which had been temporarily cut south of
Samarra, was‘ re-opened on September 11th. The courage and good sense
displayed throughout by Major Berry are worthy of special praise.
LX. Similarly at Arbil tire P.U., Major Hay, stood between tUe towns
men and tne ixurdish lull tribes. Uisturbances m Dns division uegan on
August ±2tn, witli an attempt to ambush Major Hay m tne Ha wand uz
gorge. On His return to Arbii he discovered and frustrated a plot natched
by a small disaliected element, the object of which was to set up a local gov
ernment. The depredations committed by the Kurdish trioes eneotually
stabilized Arbil. un August 28th, ilatas was captured by the Surcni who
proceeded to invest the itawanduz garrison, consisting of two Aritisn officeis
and ioU .Levies. Keui was evacuated on September 4th and sacxed by the
tribes. Major Hay and Captain Littiedale, the Levy Officer, determined to
hold out as long as possible in Arbil, in accordance with the earnest piaj,ei
of the notables. The abandonment of the town would have re-acted so un
favourably on Kirkuk and Suiaimaniyah that it was decided to send troops
to Major Major Hay’s aid and small columns from Mosul and Kirkuk reached
Arbil on September 14th.
13. It is greatly to the credit of the Political Uflicers. concerned that
along the whole line of the Tigris south of Baghdad the equilibrium was pie-
served. The Zubaid on the Tigris were subject to constant pressure Horn
their kinsmen on the Euphrates, but the timely appointment oi Shaikh 2 ji
al Samarmad as government representative at Sairah engaged his powerlui
influence on. the side oi law and order. The Amir al Kabi'ah prayed an
ehective paid among his tribesmen, which the Shaikhs of the Bam Lam and
Albu Munammad were not convinced by the arguments addressed to them by
agents from Karbala on the one side and by the YV ali of Pusht-i-Kuh on the
other, let more difficult was the position on the Gharraf where the tribes
were in direct contact with the Diwaniyah insurgents. The A.l .0. of QaTat
Sikar, Captain Crawford, was removed to A a sir iv ah by aeroplane on August
12 th and m spite of his eager desire to return it was not considered prudent
to allow him to do so. At Shatrah, Captain Thomas^was so skilful m hand
ling the leading man of the district, Shaikh Khaiyun al ‘l bald, that when
on August 26th, strenuous preaching of a Jihad by Saiyids from Karbala
had made it impossible for him to remain longer on his post, he was able to
entrust the interests of government to Khaiyun and from Aasiriyah he con
tinued to keep in close touch with him. Suq was evacuated on Septembei
1 st, but the townsmen steadfastly opposed rebellion and on.the departuie o
the A P 0., Captain Platts, HajhHasan Hamdani took charge on his behalf.
Thanks"*to the active co-operation of Shaikh Salim al Khaiyun of Chabaish
*?
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