GRAVE NEWS FROM AFGHANISTAN GIVES RISE TO FEARS.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 18641, 19 December 1928, Page 11

GRAVE NEWS FROM AFGHANISTAN GIVES RISE TO FEARS.

AMANULLAH REPORTED TO HAVE SOUGHT SHELTER IN FORT.

(United Pres* Assn.—By Else trio Telegraph.—Copyright.) (Received December 19, 9.5 a.m.) LOXDOX, December 18. The newspapers are giving promirfence to the grave news from Afghanistan, especially the report that King Arnanullahs party were obliged to take refuge in a fort.

The “Daily Telegraph” editorially observes that Britain leaxnt from bitter experience that passions roused in Afghan feuds were not confined to Afghan affairs. There was always the possibility of an anti-European outburst. The diplomatic correspondent of the “Morning Post” says that apart from Soviet aviation instructors in King Arnanullahs army it is known that Moscow has watchers and agents in the rebel camps. Editorially the "Morning Post” says: W hat hand the Soviet is plaving in this imbroglio is not yet plain, but the Indian Government no doubt marks the ominous similarity of events to early 191 9. when, as now. agitators were active in India. - The hand of the same, conspirators can be traced in both cases and India and her protectors must therefore closely watch these Afghan developments.”—Australian Press Association.

LEGATIONS AND ROYAL FAMILY REPORTED SAFE.

(Received December 19, 11.20 a.m.) LOXDOX', December 19. The Afghan Legation has been informed that the members of the Afghan Royal Family and all those at the legations %t Kabul are safe, and also that there is no army revolt. Yesterday’s minor incidents were at-

tributable to a brigand chief.—Australian Press Association.

Afghanistan is bounded on the west by Persia, on the south by Baluchistan, on the north by Asiatic Russia, and on the east by the North-West Frontier Province. The Indo-Afghan frontier was settled by. the Durand Agreement of 1893. On the frontier from the Pamirs to the Goma Pass are many Pathan tribes, who are much influenced by mullahs. Mountains, chief*

among which are the Hindu Kush, cover three-quarters of the country. The population is very mixed. The chief trade routes to India are the Khyber Pass route from Kabul to Peshawar (220 miles), which the present trouble has closed; and the road from Kandahar to Chaman (seventy miles). The late... Amir . Habibullah Khan was assassinated on February 20, 1919; and his brother, Nasrulla Khan, by a coup d’etat thereupon seized and temporarily held the reins of government at Kabul, but the Amir’s third son, Amanullah Khan, soon after declared himself and was recognised as King. Afghan troops crossed the Indian frontier on May 2, on which the Indian Government took immediate steps to expel them. Fighting followed and Dakka was occupied by British troops, but overtures were made by the King, and a treaty of peace was signed in August. By this treaty Afghanistan is left officially free and independent. The present fighting is centred in the region of Kabul, the capital, which has a population of about 100,000. The regular army of Afghanistan, at present engaged with the rebel tribesmen, numbers about 25.000. A small air force is maintained under Russian influence, the personnel being obtained from Moscow under contract; but a considerable number of Afghan students are undergoing aeronautical training in Moscow and Paris.