WAR ON INDIA.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 12636, 22 May 1919, Page 3

WAR ON INDIA.

LOYAL TRIBESMEN. PESHAWAR, May 20. Khyfeer having ceased to. be tor the present a danger point, the situation has developed at ivurram. With the exception of a few outlaws Luri’s Waziris are firm' in their resolve to permit no Afghans in their territory. Plans have already been made to secure Kurran against the Afghans’ threat. Nothing has happened beyond the sniping of pickets at I'arachinar. The stormy petrel Mullah Mir Sahib Jan Badshah, whom the troops call “Jimmy Bradshaw, appealed to tin? Bajour, but was forced to leave. In 1916 he induced a combined force of Mohmands and Swatis to try and overthrow the Government, with disastrous results. He recently visited the Mohmands, but the latter were busy dividing tho loot' obtained at Dakka and dismissed him. Frontier experts agree that except for a few outlaws the tribesmen will not welcome the passage of ill-discip-lined Afghan troops through theii territory. Only after many years of experience have they acquiesced in the presence of British troops. The tribal country does not trust the-Afghans, as the latter have no supplies, and are forced to exist on the country they are passing through. Tiio Amir s stay in Kabul is exciting comment, the army demanding his presence at Jelalkbad. ■ No further operations are reported from .Dakka. Yar Muhammad’s band at Chora is believed to have been dispersed and sniping has practically ceased kn Ivhyber. The situation in Kurram is obscure. The Afghans are . picketing Paiwar bridge and adopting, an aggressive attitude firing on Oar pickets at night. Conditions are unsettled in Khost where General Nadir Khan, the' coml manding officer, is expected. to arrive at Matun on May 20. with detachments or regulars and tribal Lascars. Rejiorts from other parts are satisfactory. the attitude of the tribes being good.