"تقرير عسكري عن بلاد الرافدين (العراق)" [و‎‎٧‎٥] (٢٢٦/١٥٤)

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certain, however, that they continued in correspondence
with both Turkish and Syrian agitators. In event of a
Turkish move on Mosul, the Tel Afaris, from their
Turcoman origin and undoubted Turkish sympathies,
would join the Turks.
Their activities would, however, depend on the attitude
of the Shammar Jarba. If the latter took up a pro-Arab
attitude, the Tel Afaris would probably, almost
certainly, remain quiet. Tel Afar, lying right in the
track of Shammar migrations, cannot afford to offend
the nomads.
The population of Tel Afar consists of nine tribes
dwelling in their respective quarters of the town. They
are settled cultivators, who plough the lands for a radius
of 15 miles round the city and have gained a reputation
for farming and hard work. The district is very fertile
and produces about 10,000 tons of wheat and barley
annually. With effectual security, about twice this
amount could be produced. The inhabitants also possess
about 20,000 sheep and 400 horses.
The chief supply base of the town is Mosul, but,
when the Dair al Zor-Mosul route is open, supplies are
also available from the Euphrates. Tobacco, fruit, wood,
etc., are obtained from the Kurdish hills above Dohuk
Zakho. It is questionable if a blockade of the
Mosul-Tel Afar road would seriously affect the Tel
Afaris, as their chief supplies are grown locally.
The various tribes follow various aghas, who exist as
so many parasites on the Fallahin, or cultivators. The
latter would seem to hold their lands as a benefice or fief
under some such contract as under, “ I shall continue
to till the land and pay you a rent in produce or in
labour or in fighting so long as you protect me from
Badawin raids. The various sections were formally
at bitter feud with each other, and internecine murders
were almost a daily occurrence. It was quite common
for two neighbouring quarters of the town to carry out
a regular battle from the housetops. Each house is a
miniature fort still. With the advent of British admini
stration murder was extirpated and cases of assault even
reduced to _ a minimum. The aghas or chiefs are
thoroughly jealous of each other, and contrive to score
off one another as often as possible. Mutual jealousies
would soon wreck the cohesion of the Tel Afaris in any
prolonged rebellion.
The chief aghas are Haji Yunus Agha, Saiyid
Abdullah, Haji Ali and Abdul Rahman Effendi. The