SOMALI MULLAH AGAIN.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLVII, Issue 14292, 11 February 1910, Page 5

SOMALI MULLAH AGAIN.

BRITISH TERRITORY RAIDED.

By Telegraph.— Association.—Copyright.

London, February 9. The Times reports that a disquieting impression exists that the consequences of the hasty withdrawal of advanced posts in Somaliland will be disastrous to friendly tribes, who relied on British protection, and that they are now suffering the Mullah's reprisals.

The Mullah has pillaged and killed many Somali Britishers, and has looted a thousand camels.

ALWAYS ON THE WARPATH.

The Somali Mullah stands over 7ft high, and has, during the last 10 years, cost Great Britain more than £2,000,000 for unsucessful expeditions. He has been a thorn in the side of the Administration ever since the Foreign Office took over the protectorate in 1898. The Mullah raided British territory in 1899 and declared himself Mahdi. Every success brought him recruitg. In 1900 Abyssinia tried to break his power, but failed. Then an Anglo-Abyssinian expedition started and dealt him a very heavy blow, but he ecaped capture. The operations had lasted more than a year when the British - were defeated by the Mullah at Ergo owing to the cowardice of the native levies. It was then decided that another expedition must be ■sent against him, and Italy co-operated in the "operations. Fighting went on during all 1903, and the Mullah received defeats from the British, the Italians, and the Abyssinianis, though he whs.successful on several occasions. In June of that year Major-General Egerton succeeded Brigadier-General Manning in the supreme command, and in the following January the Mullah received a crushing defeat at, Jidballi, where *over a thousand Somalis were killed. Illig was captured from the Mullah's' men in the following April, arid two months later the British expeditionary force was withdrawn. The Mullah was given a settled sphere in December, 1904, on promising to keep the peace. He was, however', heard of at intervals raiding the friendly tribes, and in September last his attitude had become so threatening that another expedition was sent out against him.