'Kurdistan and the Kurds' [‎40v] (80/122)

78
canals and the refusal to allow the people to work on them ; (vii.) Many
people took refuge with the Turks at Kifri; (viii.) The Sallahiyah, who
had at first refused to provision the Turks, were now doing so in order to
obtain permission to remain in the district; (ix.) Some 400 men under the
Sardar Leader of a tribe or a polity; also refers to a military rank or title given to a commander of an army or division. Muhi, a Persian rebel, had fled with ‘Ali Akbar Khan, chief of the
Sinjabi, into the Bamu mountain, about 50 miles north of Khaniqin,
intending to surrender to the British, but the alarming reports of the
Russian excesses prevented them from doing so.
Consequently, in proportion as the prestige of the Allies sank, that of
the Turks rose in contrast. Mustapha Pasha An Ottoman title used after the names of certain provincial governors, high-ranking officials and military commanders. again begged for the
appointment of a British Political Officer, but again no steps were taken
to remedy the situation for the same reason as before. At the end
of June the Russians retired across the frontier into Persia and the Turks
re-occupied Khaniqin, whereupon the work of looting and destruction was
brought to completion. Distress became acute and, when the Ottoman
troops evacuated Khaniqin at the end of August, some of the inhabitants
returned and began to sow the maize which they had hidden in the
mountains. The Daudi, under Sheikh Hamid, and the Talabani had
proved themselves strong enough to resist all attempts on the part of the
Turks to requisition provisions. The defeat of the Turks at Gaza in the
autumn and the consequent abandonment of the projected Turco-German
offensive in Mesopotamia at last rendered it possible to appoint a British
Political Officer at Khaniqin in December.
The arrival of the British was hailed with delight, and the people
began to return from their hiding places. There was still a great deal of
distress, while it was not found possible to give as much help as was
required for cultivation through fear that the crops might even yet fall
into the hands of the Turks ; meanwhile also the tribes living to the north
and north-east of the town were still in a turbulent condition. As con
fidence, however, was restored, food-stuffs began to come into the district
in ever-increasing quantities, and a considerable reduction was effected in
the stores which reached the Turks. (Early in May, 1918, our troops
reached Kifri, Tuz and Kirkuk, where Political Officers were at once
installed; most of the local chieftains immediately offered to give all
the assistance in their power to the British Army.
In Suleimaniyah a meeting of notables was held to decide on the
future policy of the Kurds, i At this meeting it was decided to set up a
provisional Kurdish government under Mahmud ibn Hafit ibn Kakha,
aghd of the Bazanji :: Kurds, while it was determined to follow a policy of
friendliness to the British, t Letters were received from the Sheikh,
claiming to represent all the Kurds as far as Sennah and offering either to
hand over the reins of government to us or to act as our representative
under our protection.
Unfortunately circumstances prevented us from taking advantage of
* Or Barzinji.