WAR IN WAZIRISTAN.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LIX, Issue 18283, 27 December 1922, Page 5

WAR IN WAZIRISTAN.

AIR FORCE OPERATNGr. DESTRUCTION OF VILLAGES. PUNJABIS IN HOT CORNER. By Teleeraph—Press Association—Copyright. A. and N.Z. DELHI. Dec. 25. During the last, ten days there has been much activity on the Waziristavi frontier. On December 17 aeroplanes bombed the Ahmadwam area and surprised the enemy, who lost several killed and wounded, and suffered heavily through destruction of cattle and villages. The machines all returned surely to Durdoni. During morning tho troops advanced one and a-half miles from Kotkai, and occupied commanding hills. One man was wounded by a sniper duvh, s tho night. Tribesmen advanced toward Kotkai, and in the ensuing action the Ninety-first Punjabis, in en exposed position, camo under heavy fire, mid casualties considerably delayed their withdrawal. Luckily the enemy did not follow tliei withdrawal. Our losses were three killed, including an Indian officer, tlnee missing, believed to be. killed, and 23 wounded. Tho enemy had eight killed and 12 wounded.

On the night of December 18 tho enemy, reinforced, was seen entering the valley opposite Kotkai, from which they wero expelled by shell lire-. On December 19, 11 aeroplanes operated against further villages, but tho results are not yet known. Our pickets report all quiet oxcept sniping. DIFFICULTIES OF CAMPAIGN. SUPERB FIGHTERS OPPOSED. Discussing last month a report that the Indian Government was contemplating an expedition into Northern Waziristan during the coming cold weather with the object of establishing a military post at Raemak and completing the system of mechanical transport roads in Waziristan, an Anglo-Indian correspondent in the Manchester Guardian gave the following interesting account of the region. Rughlv, lie wrote, Waziristan may be described as the tract whose eastern boundary is that part of our border which lies between the two frontier cantonments of Bannu and Tank and which extends westwards to the Durand line. Its total area is about 5000 square miles. The tribes of Waziristan are entirely independent of us, and charge of their relations with British India is in the hands of a British officer styled Resident in Waziristan. The whole of this country is a mazo of nullahs, mountains, and barren, stony plateaux with a very little arable land in the nullah beds. Even when compared with the rest of the trans-border tract the barrenness and sterility of Lower Waziristan are noteworthy. The range of temperature is extraordinary. In summer it is one of the hottest places on earth, and in winter the thermometer goes down many degrees below freezing point. It is quite impossible for its inhabitants to get a living out of their country. For centuries the men of Waziristan have regarded the raiding of the richer lowlands to the east as their chief means of livelihood, and, indeed, must continue to do so while the conditions in their own hills are what they are. The only villages of any note in Waziristan are Razmak in the north, and Kanigurain and Makin, the two Mahsud settlements, in the south.

Utter Savagery of Wasiru. The inhabitants of Waziristan are Wazirs and Mahsuds. The latter are 'frequently spoken of as Mahsud Wazirs. but they have long been differentiated from the main Waziri stock both by their tribal sentiment and their superior fighting qualities. Normally there is considerable hostility between the Mahsuds and their Wazir neighbours, particularly with the Wazirs of the Wano Plain. Both Mahsuds and Wazirs are split up into numerous divisions and sub-sections, the only factor common to tliem all being their state of utter savagery. Even from the other Pathan tribes, such as Orakzais, Afridis, and Mohrnands, they are, i-i the matter of civilisation, poles apart. r lbe IrMer ar; at any rate in procesis of becoming civilised, but Wazirs and Mahsuds are sunk in the lowest depths of savagery. Cold-blooded murder and brutal robbery are their most cherished occupations. " These customs have made them, during the course of generations, into superb fighting animals. The Wazir is a fine natural soldier, but the Mahsud in his own hills is the best fighter on earth. This is no exaggeration, as any Englishman whose ill-luck has taken him into Waziristan will testify. It is impossible to speak dogmatically about the numbers of tribes, but the Mahsuds can certainly produce 10,000 fighting men, while the Wazirs are quite three times as numerous. » When one considers that for the past five years at least modern rifles and great of ammunition have been pouring into Waziristan from Afghan and Russian sources, not to mention large captures from our troops and convoys, it will he realised that, in conjunction with tha appalling natural difficulties of the country and the numbers and fighting qualities of ( the enemv, any future small wai in Waziristan is likely to prove larger than we expect or desire. Past Expeditions Recalled.

The history of our past expeditions to Waziristan is not encouraging From 1860 onwards we have entered the country several times, and each time, after hard fighting, we have retired, having accomplished practically nothing We cannot point to one permanent effect of our successive invasions. For the immediate origins of the present situation we must look to the Great War The departure from India of so many seasoned regiments left the frontier garrison comparatively weak, and the Mahsuds in particular took advantage of this Their raids into British India increased in frequency and audacity until, in the summer of 1917, we were obliged to take the field against them. Ihe ensuing operations were indecisive and ifter our speedy departure from Waziristan raids into our territory at once recommenced. Finally, during the Afghan War of 1919. both Wazirs and Mahsuds threw their whole strength against us, and' forced us to abandon our militia posts both in the Oumal and the loclu Vallev We were driven from Wano and the (iumal, after holding them for 33 ve'irs To re-establish our prestige we undertook extensive operations against both Wazirs and Mahsuds. lighting on scale unprecedented in border warfare took place between November, 1919, and Mav 1920, resulting, after a prodigious effort on our part, in the present precarious occupation of part of Waziristan. Ihe Mahsuds alone severely tested our strength, and it was significant that for the first time in the history of the frontier we were opposed by warriors using modern formations and ideas which they had learnt in our army and militias. Our losses were severe. In two actions alone, those of December 21 and January 14, we had over 700 casualties. Only those experienced in frontier warfare can appreciate the significance of these figures. Our losses in material were also extensive. Since that campaign we have been encaged in constant guerilla warfare in Waziristan. Our pickets and convoys are regularly attacked. We barely control as much of Waziristan as lies within effective rifle range of our military posts, while raids into the neighbouring British districts have been, if anything, more numerous during the past three years than during any previous corresponding period. The fact is, both Wazirs and Mahsuds are intensely independent and stubborn and will not submit to " pacification.'-