'Reconnaissances in Mesopotamia, Kurdistan, North-West Persia, and Luristan from April to October 1888. By Lt F R Maunsell, Intelligence Branch. In Two Volumes. Volume I: narrative report, description of larger towns and routes leading from them. Simla: Intelligence Branch, Quarter Master General's Dept, 1890' [‎133r] (270/312)

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Governor of Suj Bulak^ resolved to join Shaikh Obeidullah. Taking a
few of tlie principal men, he went to the Mamash tribe, who in consequence
of a general dissatisfaction against Persian rule joined him. He then
went to Ushnu, where Abdulla Khan, chief of the Zeza Kurds, also joined
him, because of some ill-treatment received from the Governor of Urmia.
Collecting these men together, they appealed to Abdul Kadir, then in
Mergavvar, and the whole then marched on Suj Bulak. On their way they
compelled the Karapapak to join on pain of extinction ; these with the
Mikri also joined unwillingly. Suj Bulak was surrounded ; the governor
was allowed to depart, and the town surrendered.
Abdul Kadir then summoned the tribes as far south as Banah to Sakiz to
join, but they came in only in a half-hearted way. He appointed provisional
governments for the districts he occupied.
From Suj Bulak he advanced to the Tatavi river, attacked Miandab, and
pillaged 600 out of 1,000 houses, capturing several guns and munitions of
war.
Meanwhile there was a force in Mergavvar to protect Abdul Kadir’s retreat,
and another under Shaikh Khalifah Said Muhammad, brother-in-law of Shaikh
Obeidullah, on the road between Gavvar aud Urmia.
Abdul Kadir fought an engagement with the Persian troops near Banah,
where he was defeated, and a son of Shaikh Obeidullah and brother of
Hamza Agha with 300 men were killed.
On the 9th November the Persians at Urmia having been reinforced, drove
Shaikh Obeidullah out of the entrenched position he had taken up on the Seri
mountain, and forced him to retire into Mergavvar.
On the 12th November Suj Bulak was retaken, and Abdul Kadir and
Hamza Agha both fled, and a cordon of nine battalions was drawn by the
Turks along the frontier to prevent the Kurds re-entering Turkish soil.
On the 19th November the rebellion was practically over, and Shaikh
Obeidullah in full flight in Mergavvar.
Taimur Khan Pasha An Ottoman title used after the names of certain provincial governors, high-ranking officials and military commanders. , the Governor of Khoi, defeated Shaikh Sadik between
Salmas and Urmia. On the 20th December the tribes were quiet, and
a fine of 40,000 tomans 10,000 Persian dinars, or a gold coin of that value. was agreed on.
The whole of the country between the Tatavi and Jaghatu rivers was
desolate, and upwards of 2,000 villages were burnt and 10,000 people rendered
homeless, while as many as 2,000 Persians were massacred at Miandab,
including numbers of women aud children. Thirty Armenians and fifty
Jews were found dead there.
Out of 330 Jews, only 13 were seen alive, and large numbers of Jewish
women and children were taken into captivity by the Kurds.
Indeed, the tribesmen joined the insurrection more with the prospect of
getting an opportunity to loot and plunder than for any of the loftier motives
which actuated their chiefs.
The same happened at Bayazid during the Russian war of 1878, when
the Kurdish levies committed the most inhuman excesses.
The attitude of Russia during this outbreak is of importance, as the same
inflammable materials still exist, and the blaze of rebellion might easily break
out again. The troops at Kars were reinforced, the frontier strengthened,
and a Cossack corps of observation formed at Julfa ; while it was stated in
St. Petersburg* thatj if tbe Kurdish rebellion had succeeded* Itussia would
have had a new and formidable enemy to confront in the vicinity of Kars and
Bayazid, ready to spread havoc round Tiflis and Alexandropol, and would have
to take measures to protect her provinces.
VOL. i. 2 E