File 705/1916 Pt 1 'Arab revolt: reports' [‎299r] (145/494)

SECERT.
Reprinted for reference only.
A R A BIAN REPORT.
(No. XXa.) ASIA.
Week ending 28th June 1916.
THE SHERIF OF MECCA.
Course of the Revolt.
Little news lias come through, about the operations m Hejaz since the
Mate of the last report. The Turks seem to have grasped the seriousness
of tie position at once. From a partially decipherable wireless message,
which was recently intercepted, it appears that Jemal Pasha An Ottoman title used after the names of certain provincial governors, high-ranking officials and military commanders. , on learning of
the revolt, sent a force down the Hejaz Railway under the command of
Fakhri Pasha An Ottoman title used after the names of certain provincial governors, high-ranking officials and military commanders. . Abdurrhaman Yusuf accompanied him, and it seems that
the Turks set to work immediately to repair the damaged line. The latest
news is to the effect that Fakhri Pasha An Ottoman title used after the names of certain provincial governors, high-ranking officials and military commanders. is at Medina, but the exact military
situation is not clear. 1 .
Faruki reports from Jedda that Pith has surrendered with a small
garrison. .
•There is no news of the fort at Taif, which was recently reported to be
holding out against Abdullah.
The Sherifs Prospects.
The Turkish force in Syria is said to be between 35,000 and 40,000 men.
The Sherif of Mecca has under arms at present only 15,000, though lie could
raise ten times that amount. . m -p .• m
He has asked for four aeroplanes to assist him m the lad regioip an
would also like the Indian Government to send him all the Arab officers
they can. He begs for the resumption of the Sudan postal service and lor
the repairing of the cable there from Jedda. There is no doubt that his
requests for supplies and ammunition will become more and more irequent
as the revolt goes on. . . . , , • ,> Qn QT .;-p
It is generally thought that active assistance should be given the bherit
in his attempts to destroy the Hejaz Railway, on the success of winch so
much depends. It is thought that small parties of pioneers could, through
friendly tribes, starting from the Midian coast or wej. , .
An ” agent is being sent from Switzerland shortly in the British interest
to interview certain Bedouin chiefs, presumably m the north of Hejaz or
the south of Syria. The problem which requires immediate settlement is
what answer shall be given them m the event of their asking foi arms.
AS1R.
The Idrisi.
The letter signed bv the Idrisi in which he promised to take immediate
offensive action against the Turks reached Aden on the Pth Jtxne- In i
the Idrisi stated explicitly that his campaign would begin m the
.an^a^^Haii XunMa^ad - t mOTed He s f ace d by eleven
TurkLh battalions, three on his north r and eigM on t hm i souther bordm,
which may have seemed to him too big a w)ic. - , details" of his
Aden is of the opinion that he should be le - 0 ^ determined by the
campaign for himself, a /f 18 ^ l T® sl 7 f orces ' hT has been impressed with the
immediate disposition of the Tuikisliloice . on-nosed to
importance of co-operation with the other Arab chl ^. ^/^^Tthe
the Turks, and has been urged not to indulge m ill-timed attacks on