"تقرير عسكري عن العراق. المنطقة ٢ (أعلى الفرات)" [ظ‎‎١‎٥] (١٤٠/٣٥)

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(b) To Aleppo. —Kasr Amaj—Mahaiwah—Tel Agharri—
Wadi al Miah—Sukhne—Kona—Aleppo.
Kubaisah is connected with Hit by telephone.
Inhabitants. —The total population of Kubaisah is estimated
at 3,000, all of which are Sunni Muhammadans. The population
is divided into six small tribes or houses, for details of which
see tribal list under Chapter VI, “ Tribes.”
Camping Grounds. —Near the drinking wells a quarter of a
mile west-north-west of the town. Only sufficient water for a
company. Any force larger than this would cause shortage of
water to the inhabitants.
Administration. —In Turkish times there was a Mudir under
the Qaimmaqam of Ramadi. To-day there is an Arab Mudir.
Rahhaliyah. —The desert town of Rahhaliyah lies 49 miles
south of Ramadi and 37 miles west-north-west of Karbala. On
approaching by the Ramadi road the town gives the impression
of being much larger than it really is owing to the scattered
nature of the houses, many of which are nothing but ruins and
uninhabited. Unlike Kubaisah the town does not appear to
have been built with any idea of defence, although most of the
houses on the outskirts are loopholed.
Rahhaliyah is surrounded by swamps and in consequence is
unhealthy and productive of fever. After rain the marshy
ground around the town becomes almost impassable. Exten
sive palm gardens surround the town, in which there are
approximately 20,000 date trees.
Water. —Plentiful supply for any number of men and animals
from a spring 400 yards north of town. There are four other
brackish springs used for irrigation only.
Commerce and Supplies .—Supplies obtainable only in very
small quantities, as the town is entirely dependent on outside
sources ; about 1,500 sheep and goats could be produced.
Rahhaliyah is a commercial town in a small way, that is to say,
its commercial importance is not nearly so great as that of
Kubaisah for instance. The reason for this is that it is not a
caravan base, but merely a halting place en route for desert
convoys proceeding from Syria down to Shifathah and the
Lower Euphrates. Supplies are imported more for the sale
to and actual consumption of passing caravans than for
despatch to distant destinations.
Like all other desert ports, Rahhaliyah is very interested in
the traffic of arms, and is a retail station for the sale of rifles and
ammunition to the riverain tribes. But here again it is used
much more as a halting place for caravans carrying arms than
as an actual trading centre.