Coll 30/9 'Persian Gulf: Administration Reports 1926-1938' [‎508v] (1021/1028)

38
X t'Vio ncfpnsihle obiect of Shaikh Ahmad’s proposed visit was to con-
embargo affects them almost as prejudicially as it does the merchants of
Kuwait itself.
Condition of the Country.
As a result of Ibn Sa’ud’s prohibition against raiding the security in the
desert round Kuwait was better than it had been for many years.
On the 2 1th February a quarrel in wdiich firearms were used occurred
amongst thirteen members of the Hindal family of the Muhakkirah tribe of
’Iraq at Jalib ash-Shuyukh, a few miles from Kuwait, over the proposed
marriage of a girl to a stranger. It resulted in the death of eight of the men,
also of a woman who had nothing to do with the family, hut was killed by a
stray bullet.
On the 17th June a party of raiders over five hundred strong, under
Karab bin Hadhdhal (a nephew of Fahad Bey bin Hadhdhal) of the ’Anizah
and Badr bin Mijlad, attacked the ’Uraif section of the Bhaflr at Bwmailah,
some twenty eight miles west, north-w r est of Zubair. The ’Anizah drove off
about sixty camels, but themselves lost approximately the same number.
Seven men who had formed part of the vanguard were cut off from the main
body of the ’Anizah, and came into Kuwait and claimed the protection of Ibn
Sub ah, to give the Shaikh of Kuwait his tribal title, on the strength of his
’Anizah blood. The Shaikh received them and gave them hospitality, and
eventually dismissed them with the usual presents.
On the 15th July these same seven ’Anizah, together with ’AH Abu
Shuwairibat and another man of the Mutair plundered seventy Kuwait camels
while grazing at Quhaililah, twenty four miles west, south-west of Jahrah.
When news of this reached Jahrah a party was sent in pursuit. It failed to
come up with the robbers, hut succeeded in recovering thirty of the weaker
camels, which were unable to keep up. Of the others however, all except
two which could not be identified were eventually recovered through the good
offices of Karab bin Hadhdhal and Ibn Mijlad.
On the 11th, and again on the 13th August robbers fired on a party of
workmen at Sahiyah who were collecting stone for the Anglo-Persian Oil
Company, and loading it in boats for conveyance to ’Abbadan. On the second
occasion 1 they killed one man and wounded three. Two ’Awazim were subse
quently arrested and convicted of participation in the crime.
On the 1st August one Sulaiman al-Badawi attempted to murder Saiyid
Hamid Bey an-Naqib between Jahrah and Safwan while on his way to Basrah
in two motor cars, firing no less than eighteen rounds. Saiyid Hamid Bey
and his party returned the fire, and the man eventually made off and escaped
in the broken ground. He was afterwards arrested, and was found to he
insane and ordered to be kept in confinement.
On the 5th October a party of over tw r o hundred men of ’Abdah Sham-
mar refugees from Syrian territory under Shibrun bin Jabhan al-Waihar,
’Aid bin ’Ajil and Mutni bin Jabrin raided Kabd, tw r enty-five miles south
west of Kuw ait, and got aw ay w r ith a large number of camels—the number
was said to be 1,100, but this w'as probably an exaggeration. On their w r ay
back the raiders first camped at Busaiyah on the 6th October, where they
w ere located by British aircraft on the morning of the 7th. The same day
they proceeded townrds Nuqrat Salman, but camped in the desert before reach
ing there. They then split up into two parties under ’Aid bin ’Ajil and
Shibrum bin Jabhan respectively. Both parties were attacked by aircraft on
the morning of the 8th October. ’Aid lost about twenty men killed and w r as