"مذكرات الحرب. مقر قيادة الجيش، الهند. [...] قوة المشاة الهندية «د». المجلد ٥٨. (من ١ إلى ٣١ مايو ١٩١٩.)" [و‎‎١‎٣‎١] (٢٩٨/٢٦٦)

lint not vet ronfined InnaiiTr xt P ortea am °ng British Officers and men,
but not yet connned Locally outbreak was wholly unexpected as Sheikh
.. bo, H j^r" l 2 3 0 nZ;iirK b vi:;, s i
Telegram dated May 23rd from Consul, Tabris, reports grarity of (pro)
Kurdisb agita ion and reports attack on Simko fronf whom I have recently
received cordial letters and whose close friend Sayid Taha is now our guest
in Baghdad. Telegram of same date from Senna shows Shaikh Mahmud has
relied mainly on support from Persian Kurdistan whence some 1,500 men
have come to his help.
^ so dppc&rs clear that his action of direct outcome of movements for
independence ot Kurds including Persian Kurds, which, as already reported,
has lor some time past been growing in popularity. General Officer
Commanding m Chief has already despatched mixed columns to Chem Chem.
All to hold mam pass and strong force has left Tigris for Kirkuk.
General Officer Commanding in Chief and I are considering the possi
bility .of occupying Sulaimaniyah as a source of the present trouble on the
following grounds:—
1. It is certain that unless we at once suppress Shaikh Mahmud powerful
tribes in this area, who are now standing aloof will be drawn into movement
which is purely anarchistic. Meanwhile two most powerful groups, viz.,
Pishdr, west of Sulaimaniyah, and Jaf, east of Sulaimaniyah, have offered
fullest co-operation with us in suppressing him.
2. It may be taken as certain that unless suppressed promptly movement
will find an echo in Persia and in Mosul and may make military positions
in those areas serious. It will also have effect in Mesopotamia.
3. Probably failure to suppress it will encourage similar anarchistic
movement in north-west Persia and north Kurdistan ro great detriment
of important allied interests there.
tfO C. G, S.
4. Occupation of Sulaimaniyah is only means of suppressing movement.
This step would be popular locally where our administration was rapidly
gaining popularity with all except Mahmud and his entourage 'whose last
effort this is.
5. It is shown by numerous communications received that at present
movement by no means commands general support and can be suppressed by
military action.
6. It will be borne in mind that Sulaimaniyah district occupies peculiar
position vis a vis Baghdad and Mosul Vilayats and PersianKurdistan which
makes its (grs und) of more importance than any other partof Kurdistan.
This is with reference to my telegram, May 12th (Diary No. 35815) and
General Officer Commanding, Force “ D ” Baghdad’s telegram to-day (Diary
No. 41798).
Working copy (Advance copy for information to) G. S. (M. O. 1).
Copy to Collection.
APPENDIX 115
(Diary No. 42624)
Word Code telegram No A.-tlOl, dated 24th May 1919.
(Despatched 8-40 a.m., 26th May 1919, received 9-30 p.m., 27th May 1919.)
From—.The General Officer Commanding, Force “ D,” Baghdad,
To—The Chief of the General Staff, Simla.
With reference to 37931-Q. M. G.-17, dated 17th May (Diary No. 37931)•
Transfer of Park in hand probale total number British Officers 2, Other
Ranks 15, Indian Other Ranks 30. Estimated Store and Workshop fittings