RUSSIANS OCCUPY HAMADAN

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2648, 20 December 1915, Page 5

RUSSIANS OCCUPY HAMADAN

ENEMY DISCOMFITED POPULATION OF KUM PANIC-STRICKEN Bt ToleeraDh—Press Assoolatlon-Oopyrisht Petrograd, December 17, Official.—The Russians havo occupied Hamadan. The discomfited enemy is now spreading rumours of a Turco-German maroli to Bagdad, Persia, and India. ... T , . . The chief centre of agitation is Kum, which the victorious Russian troops at Sultan Bulak are now approaching. The enemy at Kum cut the communications with South Persia. »rr , , ~ Lator information is that the inhabitants of Kum became panic-stricken and fled towards Ispahan. [Hamadan is at the northern base of Mount Eiwend, 160 miles west-south-west of Teheran. It is the centre of converging routes from Bagdad, Erivan, Teheran and Ispahan,, It has a population of 30,000. Kum, next to Meshed, the most sacred city of Persia, is a straggling, half-ruined town between Ispa- | han and Teheran, and 155 miles east of Hamadan. 1 , ESTIMATE OF ENEMY FORGES AT HAMADAN. ("Times" and Sydney "Sun" Services.) , t •• London, December 16. The enemy forces at Hamadan are believed' to total 3000 irregulars, 3000 gendarmes, with supplies of rifles, machine-guns, and ammunition. SITUATION AT THE BEGINNING' OF THE MONTH. ("Times" and Sydney "Sun" Services.) ■ (Rec. December 18, 5.5 p.m.) London, December 16. The "Novoe Vvemya" states that the situation in Persia at the beginning of the month was that'tho Shah and his Ministers .were within Russian in- ' fluetice, but the enemv captured all the military. The forces of the GornmnoVetx'm Corps were of considerable dimensions, including twelve thousand irre» •jsulwi. sasntou. SfiifflsiLoflflgrb ■