A War in Arabia

Western Star, 28 March 1911, Page 1

A War in Arabia

Tfa.warqjiioh is occupying the a* imtion of tho Turikish Government inj South West Arabia , seems to have assumed serious dimensions. The province of Yemen was conquered nominally by the Turks about four oeaituriOT ago, but it has never yielded allegiance to the Sultan at Constantdtiiople except under the compulsion of armed force. It has been ruled by » line of Imams, who claim dir. ect descent frpm i& prophet, and regard the Turks |J.ioJw«a Intrude-rs. Each ©t the numerous attempts made by the Central Government io enforce regulations has produced a revolt, and the resulting fighting has not brought Turkey a ny political or material advantages. The present out break i S; a resuUt, of the, ambition of the Young Turkg to consolidate and centralise the power of the ruling raco., t The Yemen trfJbieamen were ordewxirto disarm, and!-^hey 1 ' promptjy rose in wrath, and attacked the military posts. Imam ■ Yaliya Hammieddin was joined by several neighboring chieftains and early in December it waß reported that some, large; ish garrisona were being hard-pressed by the rebel forces. The Turkish Government h as thirty battalions of regular troops to the scene of. ttEttf trouble, and no doubt there has been much fierce fighting durring the la* two months. I Yemen, has a population Sstimated at seven hundred and fifty thousand, but the roving Arab tribes are almost fl jj difficult to count as they are to subdue. Greail Britain has an interest in the struggle that is proceeding, in that a portion 0 f southern Arabia, from Aden to ihfl Persian Gulf, has become practically a British protectorate. If the tribesmen are defeated by the Turkish troops, they will probably betake themselves to districts wh/hjin Britain's sphere of influence.