'Reports of administration for 1918 of divisions and districts of the occupied territories in Mesopotamia. Volume I' [‎26v] (57/470)

46
a- big theft takes place, the paswaniyah group have not got the means to make
good the loss. One such case occurred this year at Mandali. The system has now
been given up, and the police made directly responsible.
9. Shabanah : Khaniqin. —No regular shabanah force on the established
lines has existed up to the present in this District, and it is only in the last month
that an A.P.O., Shabanah, has been appointed to raise a force.
In the early part of the year, when the Turks were occupying the greater part
of the district and caravan raiding was a daily occurrence, Major Soane obtained
sanction to raise a force of Kurdish irregulars working under their own chiefs.
This force was about 200 strong and was under the command of four chiefs, Mahmud
Beg Dilo, Muhammad Beg Suramiri, Ibrahim Beg Dilo and Qadir Agha Bajlan.
In the meantime, in order to prevent internal disorder, Major Soane had practically
disarmed the district.
In addition to maintaining internal order and resisting raids from enemy
territory, the irregulars were also required to maintain the blockade restrictions
and prevent supplies from reaching the enemy. They remained until the beginning
of May and did some very good work, notably so when, under Major Goldsmith,
they were attached to Col. Underhill’s column for operations on the Sirwan River
at the end of April.
It was decided in May to disband them and to raise a new force of levies under
the command of British officers. Recruiting for the levies then commenced, and
the former irregulars showed a marked disinclination to re-enlist. Rumour that
they would be sent on service out of the country soon spread, and only after they
were assured that there was no such intention did a certain portion of them join up.
The original intention was to raise levies in Khaniqin and then take them up to
Halabja area to begin recruiting there. The Khaniqin contingent was eventually
enlisted and moved up beyond Maidan m route for Halabja at the end of June.
The sudden change in the military situation at this time established the fact that
recruits would not be forthcoming as the Turks were occupying Halabja. The
levies returned to Maidan, and later back to Khaniqin. Eventually thev established
headquarters at Haushquru with an outpost at Maidan. The latter was rushed
by the enemy in August and several of the levies were killed or wounded.
lor the next few months conditions were normal. The levies were a mili tary
organisation and it was proposed, under more settled conditions, that thev should be
disbanded or absorbed into a permanent shabanah force under Political control.
This came into effect at the end of November, and a shabanah force under the control
of one officer for the Division is now being organised and equipped. The force
is being recruited in co-operation with the chief tribal shaikhs.
Mandali. Strength 75, stationed at four posts, three of which are on the
Persian frontier, and one on the Mandali-Balad Ruz road.
Owing to the unsettled state on the border, and the presence of Persian nomadic
tribes m the winter season, the Mandali shabanah have not had an easy time this
year. In addition to maintaining order along the border, they are also larvelv
responsible for the prevention of smuggling and observance of blockade restrictions
In January the Kuma Sang Post was attacked by a band of Kalhurs, and in the
same month the Makatu Post encountered some of the same tribe and recovered
some stolen animals and goods. At the end of the month the Kuma Sang police
had a further affray with Kalhur smugglers. 1
During the early months the Mandali shabanah were particularly active in
seizing caravans attempting to run the blockade, and practically put a stop to
further attempts. '
In March a fight took place between the Khizils and the shabanah who were
sent to help the Kodah mamur to carry out his work. This resulted in the Khizils
being bombed by aeroplanes. ivmzns
frequent^ May ’ ^ nomadic tribes returned to the hills, incidents became less
In October the Tursakh police had an encounter with a band of the Pan kin
who had been deputed by the Wali of Pusht-i-Kuh to collect revenue on land n
our territory. A<W1U 111
On several occasions during the year the shabanah have succeeded in arresting
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