'File 11/44 Leading Personalities in Iraq, Iran & Saudi Arabia' [‎24r] (47/96)

■■I
7
tribal affairs. His own home-made religion, which
is tolerant to Christianity and which brought him
into conflict before with Sheikh Rashid of Lolan,
led him to arrange for the liquidation of various
Mullahs in 1944-45. There is evidence that he is
mentally unbalanced and his “ dervish ” influence is
so strong that Mulla Mustafa dare not directly
oppose him and resorts to flattery and cunning to
get his way. Throughout 1945 he w r as opposed to
the moderate course pursued by Mulla Mustafa and
expressed his disapproval by announcing his inten
tion of retiring into the background; but his feud
with the Reikan tribes has never died and in July
1945 he came forward again and ordered his tribe to
overthrow the local Government. Disorder has
spread and the Barzanis, with Mulla Mustafa, are
committed to wholesale resistance to the Govern
ment’s intention to crush them, for the fourth time
in 25 years.
Despite warnings, disorders started and a cam
paign was necessary to crush the Barzanis. Aided
by lavish bribery, which the Minister of the Interior
administered, the Iraqi army operations were
eventually successful. Shaikh Ahmad and his
brother fled to Persia. At first they were well
received and courted by the Russians, but in Sep
tember 1946 it was reported that Ahmad was seeking
to return to Iraq as a suppliant.
^Jtle returned to Iraq in February 1947 and sur-
^idered with a number of followers, including the
Kurdish officers Ezzat Aziz and Mustafa Khoshnav.
He is now in prison at Basra under sentence of
death.
In August 1946 he was also appointed as first
minister to the King of Transjordan Used in three contexts: the geographical region to the east of the River Jordan (literally ‘across the River Jordan’); a British protectorate (1921-46); an independent political entity (1946-49) now known as Jordan , but returned to
Bagdad during September to take up the post of
Director-General of Foreign Affairs. He has twice
been asked, by Hamdi Pachachi at the end of 1945
and by Arshad al Umari in September 1946, to join
the Cabinet, but prefers not to do so until he can
join one which has some chance of durability. Is a
brother of Najib al Rawl (q.v.). Created K.B.E., for
war services, 1946.
26. A hmad-i-Taufiq
A Kurdish notable of Suleimani, born 1898, who
has had the advantage of a better education than
most of his contemporaries. He has held a number
of administrative appointments since the first days
of the occupation of the Suleimani Liwa. Was
appointed mutessarif after the reoccupation of
Suleimani in 1924. The Iraqi Government have
several times endeavoured to replace him by others
less sympathetic to Kurdish aspirations, but those
chosen have not been successful. Ahmad Beg has
now (1933) been mutessarif without interruption
since 1930. He is connected by marriage with the
ruling families of the Pizhder tribe, and owns
property in the Surdash nahivah. A pleasant and
presentable man, who has always been popular with
British civil and military officers.
Transferred as mutessarif to Arbil in April 1935.
Made an administrative inspector April 1939.
Placed on pension in spring of 1940.
*
24. Ahmad Mukhtar Baban
Born about 1895. Sunni of the Baban family
which is Kurdish in origin. He, himself, knows no
Kurdish and has no racial interest in the Kurds. A
lawyer by profession, he served as a judge for many
years. For a short time in 1942 he held the war-time
post of Director-General of Supplies and in October
1942 he joined Nuri Said’s Cabinet as Minister of
Social Affairs. A fortnight later he was transferred
to Communications and Works, where he remained
until the Cabinet was re-formed in December 1943,
when he was appointed to the Ministry of Justice.
He kept the same Ministry in Hamdi Pachachi’s
Cabinet of June 1944. Has held acting portfolios
of Finance and Foreign Affairs in the absence of the
^spective Ministers. Not a brilliant man, he steers
..^ar of political intrigue.
Minister of Social Affairs February 1946; resigned
April 1946. In the autumn of 1946 he was appointed
head of the Royal Diwan.
25. Ahmad al Rawi, K.B.E.
Born about 1896. Sunni of Bagdad. Son of one
of the leading Sunni Alims. Became a police officer
soon after the formation of the Iraqi Government
and after reaching the rank of commandant served
in several liwas as a mutessarif. In February 1939
he was made administrative inspector and not long
afterwards placed on pension. In June 1941, after
the collapse of Rashid Ali’s rebel Government, he
was recalled to duty by Jamil Madfai and made
Director-General of Police. In this position he
co-operated energetically with the British officials in
eradicating pro-Nazi propaganda and intrigues and
also gave his personal and official support to all plans
for improving Anglo-Iraqi relations.
In 1943 Amir Abdullah of Transjordan Used in three contexts: the geographical region to the east of the River Jordan (literally ‘across the River Jordan’); a British protectorate (1921-46); an independent political entity (1946-49) now known as Jordan created him
a Pasha An Ottoman title used after the names of certain provincial governors, high-ranking officials and military commanders. . Appointed Minister to Syria and the
Lebanon in June 1941. The unprecedented number
of farewell parties to Ahmad Pasha An Ottoman title used after the names of certain provincial governors, high-ranking officials and military commanders. reflected the
popular esteem in which he is held. A good sports
man. with a keen sense of humour, he is intelligent
and though not sufficiently forceful to administer
with successful results, he may have found his metier
in this new appointment.
27. Ahmad Zaki-al-Khaiyat
Shiah Baghdadi. Born 1896. Educated Bagdad
Law School. Has held the following posts: Secre
tary of the Ministry of Education, consul-general at
Muhammerah and Bombay, kaimakam in several
places. Mutessarif of Kut and Hillah and Land
Settlement Officer. Appointed Director-General of
Posts and Telegraphs in July 1937. Was instru
mental in placing important telephone contract with
British firm against keen foreign competition.
Dismissed from his post in June 1941 on account
of the support which he had given to Rashid Ali’a
regime in May.
Appointed Director-General of Press and Propa
ganda in August 1944, in which position he
co-operated well with the British.
Appointed Iraqi Consul in Jerusalem, May 1945.
Appointed consul at Jedda 1946, but resigned the
service rather than proceed and took up practice as
a lawyer. A feeble individual. Speaks quite good
English
Deputy March 1947. Has an interest in the com
pany which has the Rootes agency An office of the East India Company and, later, of the British Raj, headed by an agent. in Iraq.
28. Akram Mush tag
Born Bagdad 1903. Moslem Sunni. Brother of
Talib Mushtaq {q.v.). Gazetted officer in army 1927.
Passed through Cranwell and appointed to Royal
Iraqi air foice in 1930. Promoted captain 1932.
Took an active part in the coup d’Etat of October
1936. Promoted major 1937 and lieutenant-colonel
in 1938. Appointed Commander of Iraqi air force in
September 1937. Retained this post until April 1939,
when he was relieved of his command and commis
sion and appointed Director of Civil Aviation.
Married a daughter of Sheikh Ahmad-al-Sheikh
Daud in spring of 1940. Member of Iraqi delegation
to International Civil Aviation Conference at Chicago
in November 1944, and to meetings of the Com
munications Committee of the Arab League in
summer. 1946-.
Has a thorough knowledge of the intricacies of
civil aviation and is an intelligent and likeable
person. Speaks excellent English.