"مذكرات الحرب. مقر قيادة الجيش، الهند. [...] قوة المشاة الهندية «د». مجلد ٤١. الجزء II. (من ١٦ إلى ٣١ ديسمبر ١٩١٧." [و‎‎٢‎٤‎٩] (٥٠٨/٥٠٢)

SITUATION IN MESOPOTAMIA AND PERSIA. APPENDIX 639
3Cth December 1917.
87635.
87850.
87y80.
88211.
88457.
88706.
88874.
88/71.
1. Tigris Front. —There have been no
operations of importance during the week.
On 27th and 23th December successful bombing raids were again carried
out on Humr, near the junction of the Lesser Zab and Tigris.
On 30th December enemy aerodrome and camp at Kifri and at Chaman
Kufrhwere bombed and machine gunned by our aeroplanes.
A branch of the Eaquba-Sharoban Railway, 5 miles in length, from Abu
Jisra to Abu Saida has been opened to traffic.
General Marshall proposes shortly to send a small detachment to occupy
Qasr-i-Shirin in order to safeguard the Khanikin-Karind road and to provide
security for a portion of the Russian partisan detachment which is to be sent
along this road.
2. Euphrates Front. —No change.
3. Busso-Turkish Front. —Information regarding the Russo-Turkish
armistice negotiations are fragmentary,
but it appears that an agreement has been
arrived at that the line of demarcation
between the Russians and Turks is to run southwards through the Kalikhan
Dagh and Morivan to Norva and then break back eastwards to Senna; and
that the Russian delegates are to return to Urumiyah.
It is reported that, in the event of an interchange of Russian and Turkish
88g62 prisoners of war, the number of Turks
affected will be about 40,000, of which
the number fit for field service is estimated by the Russian Staff to be 1,000
88321.
88571 .
while the majority of the remainder would be fit for labour battalions and
L. of C. duties.
4. Intelligence —German infantry and cavalry units have been identified
by contact on the Palestine Pront,
Reports from Porce fC D,” indicate that railhead of the Baghdad railway
was at Tel Helif, 25 miles west of Nisibin, in November. It was reported
that no construction was being carried on.
5. Folicy. —His Britannic Majesty’s Minister has again urged the advisabi-
883g2 • lity of sending a detachment from Porce
“ I),” eastwards into Persia as quickly
as possible to strengthen the pro-Ally movement in Caucasus and among the
Cossacks.
87929 . 6. Persia. —The political situation
88 ' 788 - in Persia is still very unsettled.
The appointment of a Cabinet more satisfactory to us is still hanging
fire owing to discussion as to terms acceptable to both sides.
His Britannic Majesty’s Government maintain their decision to uphold
the maintenance of the South Persia Rifles during the period of the war or in
other words to maintain our influence in the country by force, and possibly to
extend our scope to include the Control of the Persian Cossack Brigade.
The Turkish and German legations are negotiating with Russians for their
oorno return to Tehran with small escorts
8oo32.
Information points to the continuance of German attempts to extend
88000 . hostile propaganda work eastwards Kir-
8t00L manshah, Kalbrus and Luristan.
On December 14th an attack was made by robbers on 2 British Officers
near Abmaron the Bandar Abbas-
8 4b • . Saidabad road.
About 27th December near Sarzeh north of Bandar Abbas, robbers car-
88835 ried off 200 camels proceeding on convoy
work.