File 301/1921 'MESOPOTAMIA: INTELLIGENCE REPORTS' [‎93r] (196/586)

Zubair henceforward will be, as it was in Turkish times, a Nahiyah directly dependent on
asrah, with an elective Baladiyah collecting the Baladiyah taxes and a Mudir and staff who
will collect Government revenues.
26. Nasiriyah. Ramadhan, an assured rice crop and aerial activity have all combined to
keep the tribes of Suq quiet, but there has been no improvement in the matter of payment of
revenue (see No. 14, para. 19).
27. Sa ud al Sa £ dun, ‘ Ajaimi Pasha’s brother, who had for many months past been hang-
mg about the desert frontiers of the ‘Iraq, was permitted early in May to return and settle in
bamawah district provided he did not move out of it without leave. He settled at ‘Ain, South
of bamawah, but at the invitation of his cousin Yusuf Beg al Sa‘dun, paid a visit to Suq
district. His CjOnung excited great interest, especially as he brought with him ‘ Ajaimi’s family,
including a son of 15 who is described as a very promising boy. Sa‘ud came up to Baghdad to
wards the end of June to visit the High Commissioner and complained that he was treated as
a potential enemy whereas he had broken off relations with his brother and wished to be con
sidered as an Iraqi. Nevertheless rumours are current that he has been receiving messages
from ‘Ajaili. He has been given permission to live with his brother Thamir.
28. Shaikh Saliin al Khaiyun of Chabaish, since his appointment to the Council, has left
the affairs of the Bani Asad in the Hammar Lake in the hands of his incompetent brother,
Ghadhban, who has been appointed Mudir. Salim has recently paid a hurried visit to Chabaish
to right matters. It is difficult for paramount shaikhs at one and the same time to maintain
their local position and perform official duties in the capital. The long absence of the Amir al
Rabi‘ ah from Kut has had an unfavourable effect on his authority over the Rabi‘ ah sections.
29. On June 14 a report was received that a caravan with a considerable quantity of arms
had arrived at Khamisiyah. Levies were ordered to surround and search the town on the 16th,
accompanied by an aerial demonstration. The raid on Hhamisiyah was well carried out but no
rifles were found. The Shaikh was, however, warned that he would be held personally responsible
for any caravan that came in with arms. On the same day a caravan was captured south of
Samawah in the act of unloading arms. 250 rifles, 25,000 rounds of ammunition and 26 camels
were taken. This was no doubt the same or part of the caravan reported $0 /have entered
Khamisiyah.
30. ‘Abdullah and Balasim of the Maiyah (see No. 13, para. 16 /) have both been in
Baghdad since the end of May and are being retained there for the present. All the Maiyah
sarkals and representatives of Hai town went to the Amir Rabi‘ah, who is their paramount
shaikh (the Maiyah being a section of the Rabi‘ah), and begged him to use his influence to pre
vent the return of the two shaikhs under whose oppressive hand they suffered.
31. Diyalah. —80 destitute Jews (see No. 15, para. 25) have arrived at Kingarban demand
ing free passage to Baghdad and more are expected to follow. The High Commissioner has in
formed the Grand Rabbi and intimated that he hoped steps would be taken by the Jewish com
munity to help these unfortunate people.
32. Dulaim. —In connection with the re-establishment of Civil Government at ‘Anah, the
northern frontier of the ‘Iraq in these regions comes immediately into consideration. By the
arrangement made between the ‘Iraq Government and the Arab Government of Syria in May.
1920, the frontier on the Euphrates was laid down at a point 5 miles below Albu Kama! and
some ten miles up stream of Qaim. The Qaimmaqam of ‘Anah accordingly issued revenue de
mands up to this line but the Shaikhs and sarkals of the ‘Aqaidat 'refused to pay until the
frontier was definitely settled between the French and British Governments. They claim that
the Nahiyah of Qaim has always been within the limits of Albu Kamal. Mushrif al Dandal who
exercises a quasi independent authority at Albu Kamal has issued orders that revenue demands
from ‘Anah are not to be regarded until the Dair al Zor Government has notified to him its
boundaries.
The Franco-British Convention provides for the establishment of a Commission which shall
trace the boundary on the spot on the lines laid down in the Convention. In the meantime the
presence of the Desert Force at ‘Anah has convinced the Jaghaifah section of the Dulaim near
‘Anah of the advisability of paying Kodali.
33. Nijris al Qa‘ud has made submission and undertaken to live quietly in his gardens at
Hit, handing over the duties of Shaikh to his son Ma-jil (see No. 15, para. 14). This removes
the last element of disaffection within the Dulaim tribe. The Adviser reports that Turkish
officers sent down for purposes of propaganda meet with scant support from the tribes and in
some eases they have been told to return whence they came and warned that if they were found
• in the area they would be handed over to Government.
34. The report that French troops have reached Dair al Zor (see No. 15, para. 28) has not
been substantiated.
The Aleppo-Mosul road can at need be used by travellers. The Chaldaean Patriarch who
has been attending a Conference at Beyrut, arrived at Mosul on June 20 by this route but he had
to pay handsome bribes for security to the tribes.
35. Mosul. —There is a marked tendency on the part of the Shammar Jarba‘ Shaikhs to
come to terms with Government (see No. 15, paras. 17 & 18). ‘Ajil al Yawar, who is probably
the most active and influential man in the family, has made overtures through Hamu Sharu.
Probably the shaikhs are actuated by the high prices in Mardin, a realization of Turkish weak
ness and the visitations of our aeroplanes.
36. Arbil. —As a result of the bombing operations against the Surchi (see\ No. 15, para. 24)
Dasht-i-Harir has been reoccupied, a police post re-established at Batas and a Mudir installed.
The area is being regularly patrolled. A local representative of the Dasht-i-Harir section of
the Surchi has been selected and ‘Ubaidullah and Raqib have moved to Rawanduz (No. 14,
para. 54).