BOMBED BACK

Grey River Argus, 20 August 1930, Page 3

BOMBED BACK

FROM PESHAWAR Tribesmen Retreat (Aus. and N.Z. Cable Assn.) DELHI, August 18. Latest reports show that the Afriidis ar e retreating. The tribesmen generally are in a chastened mood. All the raiders have* disappeared, while the caves on the Khajori Plain afle reported to be completely evacuated. Aeroplane reconnaisance shows no movements in the Bara Valley or else where. The attack ou Kohat has not materialised.

A communication received from an important tribal leader, sajs that the Air Force inflicted extremely severe damage m the Bara Vailcy. Reporting officilally on the situation np to Saturday last the Government of Indifc states:—

The focus of interest in the tribal situation dulling, the w'eek has ’been the activities of an Afridi Lasihkar in the Peshawar district and on the dis- i trict border. Detachments from the m<in Lashkar, which got into the district last week, remainc-iil there at vai.ying strength. Numerous large gangs concealed themselves, in ihel thickly-wooded belt io the- south and| southeast of and amongst tho ravines further east, and were a constant source of trouble and anxiety to the authorities. They also made several unsuccessful attempts ni small paa’tiew. by night to enter the city, and cantonments. Taking ad vantage of tJie- cover afforded by high crops, they were generally able to elude the military., whose efforts were KYirccted to their expulsion. For th : s

reason, decisive military action against them is difficult, at the pihsent season. Moreover, they undoubtedly receive-1 shelter, f0.0d,. and some active assis-

tance from villages in tihe neighbourhood of Peshawar. They at °he- time succeeded in cutting all communication with Peshawar, and one party forced its way into a supply depot here. It <!id some * damage before being dr|iven. out. The Orakzai situation has remain-) vd uncertain A number of the Orak-j zai undoubtedly accompanied the main Afridi Lnshkar, and some took J part in the activities inside the Pesha-. war district. On the, Kurram. holder, oven action was taken against the Govern inent by a section of Orakzai with, their neighbours, the Chamkannis who made an attack on milHia post and villages in the Kurram Vailcy Militia and villages levies engaged them with good spirit.

Prompt and very successful air action was taken against hostile forjmations and after due warning against a village from which they came. Heavy casualties are believed to have been, [inflicted, and considerable damage was done to the villages; of the more, prominent hostile leaders. Thif prompt and heavy punishment un doubt edly had a sobering effect on :iie tr.ibos cone.erne'it By the end of

] :he week the nmuoer of Afridis remaining’ in the Peshawar district, had greatly decreased, as ako had the mum body of I.ashkar in the vicinity of Khnjuri plain. The however, continues to be one of considerable- gravity and Jangeit. Communal disturbances in S-nd have spread ever a large area on both sides of the In- lus,, and* a serious situation has developed. The population of’ villages is almost entirely Mohammedan, with a small section of Hindu moneylenders and traders to whom many of th e .Mohammedans are indebted. Communal feeling is therefore aggravated by economic causes and when as in the present case, trouble extends into the rural area, it has taken a. form of violence tow ar Is and looting of the small Hindu population. It is feared that Lhe loss of life and property has been. . considerable.

Outside the Northwest frontier Province and Sind, ther e has been a comparative absence of incidents during the week. A FAR-FETCHED CLAIM. (Aus. and N.Z. Cable Assn.) OTTAWA, August 1& / “Thy British administijation iii [lndia hau given to that great Eastern country faith in the- impartiality of justice onul peace needed for furtherance of progress and unk;y. It has performed valuable seijvicqs as the unswayed referee to compose claims and avert clash between the races, = declared S’r John Simon, addressing ’the Canadian and Empire Clubs on (Monday. He appealed to the poeplc of Canada to take their share of EmI nl ie responsibilities towards In'Gia.