IN SYRIA.

Hokitika Guardian, 29 October 1925, Page 3

IN SYRIA.

[Australia & N.Z. Cable Association.] THE DA Al A.BCLS AFFAIR, LONDON. Oct. 28. The “Times” Paris correspondent states two French cavalry regiments from .Morocco have gone to Syria, where the situation is officially described as not satisfactory. It is admitted there i.- an agitation not only at Damascus, hut in the surrounding region. Apart from this, the French press is without official Syrian informa Pi- >n. “L’lntraiisigeant” declares no official report -o far has appeared to contest the truth about Damascus, and ask-, in this scandal going to last long ’Lo letups Beirut correspondent. under date. ( Ictoher 20th. asserts that in view of the gravity of the situation. General Sarrail has asked Paris for larger reinforcements. lie declared that conflicts are occurring lietwcen the 1- tench. .Moslem and Bedouin populations.

.Messages from Damascus show the British Consulate is not damaged, though apparently a certain amount of damage was done to British property. lint no British subjects were killed.

The “Time'’' i orrespomlent’s report from Damascus caused amazement hi official circles in London. mid was e.x----1 tonsivclv ((noted in the evening papers. • (•specially a story of a parade ‘of dead brigands on the hacks of camels, and 1 ot lack of warn ini' to Kumpeans except Freni'li nationals hel'tire the homhardmenl. The “Star’' states the Oovernment will prnhaldy claim compensation lor damage to British property and bazaar*. CAIRO. Oct. 27. Varying reporta lroni Damascus indicate the town passed through an ordeal on October 18th. and 20th. and flint it hears -cats of relentless measures taken to suppress riots, following en the action of (lie French in I’aradin<r the corpses of bandits in the streets. A traveller from Damascus says that during the afternoon of Oet. 18th.. a hand of men headed hv the chief. Hassnn Klkarrcth, penetrated into the Cbagour quarter, shouting “Rise up! Four brothers the Druses, are here!’’ They attacked a police post, and shot dead a French officer. 1 he inhabitants of the rpinrter, armed themselves, and joined the insurgents. All advanced towards the Afedan quarter, where they ioined 11nill habitants. One hundred Frenchmen, working with Armenians, in this quarter. were caught between the insurgents and another hodv of rebels from | the town. ’l’hey died lighting bravelv. J Then suddenly aeroplanes appeared and | hotnhed the crowds. Tanks, armoured cars and other aeroplanes followed. All joined in spreading death among the rebels, who fled in all direct ions from the terrible retribution. The insurgents eont imied to lire on the public from military buildings, and barricaded streets, and they set fire to certain quarters. Finally artillery opened fire from the citadel on the rebel quarter. Th French made it known the bombardment would not cease till the rebel lire <en-cd. ’I he bombardment lasted from Sunday night till Tuesday. Shells destroyed t tie Chagnttr ami Medan quarters. while cart of the llomidiah Bazaar and other places were destroyed by lire. The palace of Azim. one of the finest monuments in the east was damaged. tine hundred victims ere lying in the streets, and probable at least two thousand were buried he neath demolished buildings. j i patently the Christian-; escaped. The French sent tan thousand soldiers tithe Christian quarters, which the insurgent- had not- attacked directly. Damascus notables during the after nunii of Oct. 2llth. presented themselves before the High Commissioner am! undertook to fulfil all the French requirement-. Martial law «a- declared, and anyone found in posses.-ion of arms was executed. Another vcr-inii -a-.. i\ organised bands were working around llama-cits. One hand, nliieh entered Damascus or October 18th composed forty men only. ' unth-r Karrath. intending to kidnap fietteral Sarrail. The French bombard- ; ••! the city to frighten the population, i whom thev accused cf connivance with tin- hands, and of having informed flu- hitter of the date of (leneral f-ar-rttil'.s tirrivid at Damascus. The rebels remained in Damascus until Octolx-f ■Jtlth.. and uiilv retired because theit

presence was taken as a pretext to bombard the city. It is alleged the reliefs did nothing reprehensible. The chief Karrath visited the Christian quarters, tranipiilisitig them, and saying: “Aon are our brothers.” It L also claimed large numbers of Moslems took refuge in the Christian quarters during the bombardment, anil were all received.

Still another version says a hand attacked Damascus to avenge themselves on the Armenians in the Medan quarters, who are alleged to have enrolled in the French Army. Generally the bands remain around Damascus, and are perhaps strengthened l>v inert from Damascus whose houses were destroyed and whose families were killed. AA’cll informed persons express flic opinion that llm theatre of o’orations will he shifted from ,rebel Druse to the Damascus region, where hands are being well organised, believed to hi composed of thousands, seeking revenge. «* PARTS, Oct. 27. “Le Matin” states that latest telegrams from Syria arc disquieting. Damascus, where order is far from reestablished. has been abandoned hv the population. The Druses who had sub. miffed have not broken faith. The situation i- not critical, but is sufficiently serious to demand urgent measure- on the part of the Government. “TIMES" CORRESPONDENT'S ACCOUNT. |-“Th*' 'f jMRg” Ser vick. J (Received this day at 10.0 a.tn.i LONDON. Oct. 29. The ‘•Times" Damascus correspondent- says that while the material havoc is serious enough the fantastic accounts of thousands being killed and the populations deserting the city are merely propaganda or refugees’ teverish imaginings. The correspondent s account is based oil an actual inspection, which showed only two foreigners were killed and one Britisher wounded. The casualties among the native population are unlikely to he much greater proportionately. The outbreak was really the outcome of the situation in .lebel-Driiso. but the Druses who were engaged in the pillaging, shooting and incendiarism at Damascus, seem not to have acted trout political motives, but from a desire for plunder. It was a great mistake to display the corpses of the brigands tm oaiueh-, which were paraded through the streets hearing dangling bodies, it was a ievolting spectacle which, instead of overawing the brigands, infuriated the entire population. One consequence was that the French found tlm bodies of twelve of their Cireassion irregulars I deposited outside the City Oates three I mornings later. The lower elements of the population readily joined torcos with the brigands in attacking the French troops and overpowering the police. ANOTHER ACCOUNT. (Received this day at 10.0 a.tn.l LONDON. Oct. 29. The “Daily Telegraph's” diplomatic correspondent says continuation of the gravity of. the situation at Damascus has readied London. Terrible damage was wrought by the French garrison Artillery and air bombers, as well ns by rioters.

Tin- consular «>o« 1 y in Damascus is claiming damage against Franco. The correspondent mills: "ft must bo tul--111 it:tod that .since the arrival of General Surruil the whole eountiy has become chaotic.” SYRIAN RE LUG EES. CAIRO. October 28. Three hundred and fifty refugees from Damascus, mostly Christians, have arrived at Alexandria. They declare the authorities are doing their utmost to prevent people leaving Syria. APPEAL FENDS. .JERUSALEM. October 23. The Arab Executive Committee has appealed to the whole Moslem world to subscribe to relieve the distress in Syria. The Committee protests against in Syria.