Kurd Treachery.

Hokitika Guardian, 26 August 1922, Page 1

Kurd Treachery.

SHOT AT A PARLEY. • LONDON, June 24. The following particulars regarding the murders of Coptain R. Iv. Mukniit, M.C.. and Captain S. S. Bond. IM-C., have been telegraphed from Bagdad. Karim Fatah Beg. the chief of the Hamawand tribe, who had long been adopting a hostile attitude towards the authorities, recently sent a messenger to Captain Bond, thq Assistant Political Officer, Chein Chemal, to say that he desired to come to terms. A meeting was accordingly arranged at a small village near Bazinn Pass. Captain Bond and Captain Makantrode out at the appointed time accompanied by two native orderlies. They were met by Karim Fatah Beg about a mile from the village and received by him with grant cordiality. They rode on with him, but the party had only proceeded a short way when both British officers and other .orderlies were shpt without warning and killed

The bodies were subsequently recovered. The murder of these officers was announced on June 21st and occurred on June 18th. The identity of Captain Makant was not then certain. Chem Chemal i s about 200 miles north of Baghdad. Tho Secretary of State further regrets to report the loss of Lieutenant M. V. T. Mott, killed in action on June Ist near Halabja, in another part of Kurdistan. The account of this action has been delayed through difficulty of communicating with Baghdad.

FIGHT ON A PRECIPICE. The operations of this occasion were directed against a certain Feruj Beb qf Banianok, a hostile Kurdish chief, who was one of the prime movers in the disturbances in that district during the winter. An attack on the village of Banibanok was arranged on June Ist and was carried out by a cplumn of levies, supported by the R.A.F. The attack was completely sueessful, and the village, which is situated on a preeipitious ridge of rock 19 miles north of Halabja, was oocupied by the troops after an extremely arduous climb. Tho village was burned, and the column was proceeding to retire, when fire was opened by a sniper in ambush among the rocks. Lieut Mott was killed instantaueously and four men were wounded. It is reported that the sniper was killed immediately afterwards.