File 705/1916 Pt 1 'Arab revolt: reports' [‎229r] (5/494)

SECRET.
ARABIAN REPORT.
(No. XXII a. ASIA.)
i5th July, 1916.
THE SHERIF OF MECCA.
Recent Military Events.
In Southern Hejaz the Sherif of Mecca has met with continued success.
On 4th July the fort of Mecca that had been holding out surrendered.
A few days later the last Turkish garrison in the region, viz. a force of
800 in the barracks, also gave in. The Turkish element has now been
eliminated from Mecca. The fort which was holding out against Abdulla
at Taif has not yet been taken. In all his sieges the Sherif has pre
ferred reducing garrisons slowly by thirst to a rapid decision necessitating
bloodshed.
The crux of the situation lies in the north. The news from Medina
is less favourable than that from Mecca. It appears that the Arabs under
Feisal and Ali number about 9,000 and are opposed by 7,000 Turkish
regulars.
At the outset they attempted to reduce the Turks by cutting off their
water; but the water supply was restored, owing to a protest from the
townspeople, according to one account, or to religious scruples, according
to another.
The Turks have been able to break the Arab first line, and from the
latest reports it appears that the town is no longer invested. It also seems
that only 20 miles or so of the Hejaz railway have been rendered useless
instead of the 125 originally reported.
The blockade of the Hejaz ports has now been raised. The Sherif
has asked that his flag, which is provisionally a dark-red one, shall be
respected in the Red Sea.
Military Prospects.
The military prospects of the Sherif while generally favourable are not
altogether so.
First. The Turks will clearly make determined attempts to quash the
revolt. A telegram from Constantinople confirms the rumour previously
reported that Ali Haidar has been officially appointed as Turkish nominee
for the Caliphate in place of the Sherif, and there is reason to think that
considerable forces will back him up.
Further, the Sherif himself has complicated matters by trying to assume
too much responsibility. He has endeavoured to take every decision
himself, which, in view of the initial lack of organisation and the accumula-