"كتيّب بلاد الرافدين. المجلد I. ١٩١٨" [‎٢‎٧‎٤] (٥٦٨/٢٨٣)

274 COMMUNICATIONS AND TRANSPORT
(a) Main routes believed to be passable for wheeled traffic :
Baghdad—Aleppo via Fell uj eh, Hit, Anah, Deir ez-Zor, and
Meskeneh.
Baghdad—Mosul via Samarra and the right bank of the Tigris.
Baghdad—Mosul via Kufri, Kirkuk, Altun Kopril, and Erbil.
Kirkuk—Suleimanlyeh (reported to have been recently made fit
for wheels).
Mosul—Nisibin via Demir Kapu Khan.
Nisibin—Diarbekr via Mardln.
Diarbekr—Ziyaret Wa'iz el-Qur'ani Zokh (for Bitlis ; see below
under pack-route Jezlret-ibn-'Omar—Bitlis).
Diarbekr—Kharput via Arghana Pass.
Birijik—Diarbekr via Hovek and Severek.
Birijik—Diarbekr via Urfeh and Severek.
J erablus —U rfeh.
Urfeh—Harran (and on to Ras el-'Ain?).
Ras el-'Ain—Nisibin,
Ras el-'Ain—Mardln.
Deir ez-Zor—Mosul via Tel es-Sawwar and Tel A'far.
Across the desert or open steppe of the upper Mesopotamian plains
it is generally possible to find lines which need little or no improve
ment for wheeled transport, at any rate in dry weather. Thus
motors can traverse the arid desert between Anah and Baghdad or
between Hit or Ramadiyeh and Tekrit or Samarra. It is probable
that in the neighbourhood of the Khabur and the Belikh there could
be found easy lines for wheeled transport connecting the Baghdad
Railway in the neighbourhood of Harran or Ras el-'Ain with the
Euphrates valley. In many instances wheeled traffic can pass most
easily by making detours from the regular routes, and this is often
done by native drivers.
(5) Main routes practicable wholly or in part for pack-animals only :
Kufri—Suleimaniyeh.
Suleimaniyeh—Halebjeh (for Kirmanshah or Senna).
Suleimaniyeh—Penjevin (for Senna).
Suleimaniyeh—Baneh.
Suleimaniyeh—Raniyeh.
[Suleimaniyeh—Kirkuk ? See under Routes for Wheeled Traffic'
above.]
Altun Koprti—Raniyeh via Koi Sanjak (does not need much
improvement for wheels).
Raniyeh—Ser Desht. »