MORE FIGHTING NEAR KABUL.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 18641, 19 December 1928, Page 12

MORE FIGHTING NEAR KABUL.

BRITISH SUBJECTS TAKE REFUGE IN LEGATION. (United Press Assn.—By Electric Telegraph.—Copyright.) LONDON, December 17. The Afghan rebellion has again broken out. Martial law and a curfew order have been proclaimed in Kabul. There have been mamr arrests. Afghan troops are heavily engaged with Shinwari and Khugiani tribesmen, who captured two important points overlooking Kabul and an outpost at Kaja, inflicting numerous casualties. Afghan troops at Jalalabad have been attacked. A detachment of regulars at Mimla was surrounded by tribesmen. At present the Foreign Legations at Kabul are safe. “The Times” understands that the Indian Government has made all necessary arrangements for the withdrawal of British people from Kabul. All sixteen of them are guests or members of the Legation staff. It is believed that they include four ladies and three children, including Lady Humphrys, wife of Sir Francis Humphrys, the British Minister, and the wife and daughter of Sir Denys Bray, the Indian Foreign Secretary, who are unable to depart owing to the Shinwari rebellion closing the Khyber Pass. “The Times” attributes the rebellion to King Amanullah’s zeal for reforms. Such things as the Queen discarding the veil, the introduction of European clothes and custom?, and the prohibition of polygamy, .aU of which happened after the Royal visit to Europe this year, caused offence to religious leaders. King Amanullah has forced the pace, despite the advice of both Afghan and British friends. It is recalled that- disaster overtook three previous British missions to Afghanistan. Sir Alexander Bumes and twenty-three others were murdered at Kabul in November, 1841; Sir William MacNaughten was murdered six weeks later; Sir Louis Castagnari and his staff, three Europeans, twenty-six Indian cavalry and fifty Indian infantry, were massacred at the Residency in Kabul after a desperate defence in September, 1879. These incidents were the origin of the first and second Afghan Wars.—Times Cables.