Coll 17/10(1) 'Internal: political situation; relations with HMG' [‎121r] (246/982)

noCOMENT IS THE PROPERTY qg 4 «S-BRIIiUOHC,MAJESTY'S GOVERNMENT
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EASTERN (Iraq).
CONFIDENTIAL.
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June 16, 1936.
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Section 1.
Copy No. j 1 Q
>S?> A. Clark Kerr to Mr. Eden.— {Received June 16.)
( No - 282 ') Bagdad, June 10, 1936.
ir ’ WITH reference to my despatch No. 273 of the 2nd June, I have the honour
to report that during the last week the Iraqi army have been obliged to undertake
further operations in the Diwaniyah liwa. . , , .
2 I enclose a copy of an official communique which was issued on tne
evening of the 6 th June. From other sources I have obtained the lollowing
additional information. During the last days of May, Sheikh Sha lan A1 Atiyah
chief of the Shibanah section of the Akra’ Confederation, together with other
neighbouring sheikhs, showed a disposition to follow the lead ot the Dhuwalim
ancf the Bani Hucham. A tax collector was expelled by his tribesmen, police
patrols were sniped in his tribal area, and the telephone line between Diwaniyah
and Dagharah was repeatedly cut. Moreover, it was known that feheikh bha lan
was busily collecting signatures for a round-robm demanding an immediate
pardon for all the Bumaitha insurgents, the suspension ot conscription until work
on a local canal had been finished, and an undertaking to respect religious customs.
3 On the 3rd June he was given an ultimatum to report to Diwamyah
within twenty-four hours. This he ignored, and three hours after the expiry o±
the ultimatum, an aerial demonstration was carried out over his tribal area.
On the 5th June two columns comprising a total of six infantry batta An extra allowance of pay granted to soldiers involved in special field service or to public servants on special duty. ions, ox e
cavalry regiment and two batteries of artillery began operations against the new
insurgents. A force of about 100 tribesmen was dispersed as soon as the advanced
guard deployed, but on the following day the troops met with more ^ esl ^ I J 5 : e h
They were everywhere successful. By noon Dagharah was occupied and Sheikh
Sha’lan’s fort destroyed. The official report states that hity H^smen w
killed, but the Prime Minister estimates the total tribal casualties at about 3 ^
Amongst the killed were Sha’lan’s brother and his eldest son Another ^n was
wounded and made prisoner. Several other important tribal
also left dead on the battlefield. The army s losses were two other ranks killed ai d
two officers and nine other ranks wounded. i-rv. u
4 The reasons for Sheikh ShaTan s revolt are at present difficult to appraise.
It will be recalled that in March 1935 he was a prominent leader of the tribM
movement against Ali Jaudat’s Government, which was inspire y ^ p
who are now in office. I have not been able to discover exac y w ■ g 7 ,
he has against the party which he so heartily supported only a year ago, u
ever the causes of his revolt, his stupidity m waiting until the Dh^alim had been
crushed before raising his own tribes is almost unbelievable. I a PP e , .
Government, it seems to be almost impossible for the tribes to concert their
movements. Sha’lan is now said to be a fugitive m hiding wi le a
on the north of the Hai. , ^ a t
5. This military success has naturally elated the Government, and 1 jound
the Prime Minister calm and confident when I visited him a e mis ^
Foreign Affairs yesterday. The General Staff deserve credit P rom P^f s
with which they collected their forces and the vigour with which they struck.
There are still, however, causes for anxiety which the Governmen + ei h
look. The disturbed area now extends from the Dagharah regulator o) S a c
a distance of about 70 miles, through which run the railway and a coi
irrigation system. So far the Government have been abffi o concenT
whelming forces to deal with the sporadic tribal revolts, bu i c n 1 r?
to desperation by a common adversity, were to achieve even a baited measure o
unity, the situation might become serious. Already the forces a uma ^ c
been reduced to one battalion in order to provide units f or the co umns sen g
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