AFGHANISTAN REBELLION

Hokitika Guardian, 8 March 1929, Page 5

AFGHANISTAN REBELLION

AM A NULLA H\S FALL. (United Press Association—By Electric Teleg. Copyright). LONDON, .March 7. 'l’lie horrors of the Afghan rebellion are described by Colonel Ghulam NabiKlian, who once was an officer in the ex-King Aninnullah’s army. In a letter from Kabul, published in the Daily Express, the Colonel tolls how ho was sitting with a •companion, in the forenoon when suddenly he hoard the rattle of chains and the sound of a procession of soldiers, shouting to “Make way for the unfaithful! Make way for the disloyal!” The chained prisoners were priests, who were on route for execution.

“When we leaned what was to betheiri fate,” he continues, “ our blood froze in our veins. There were the Mullahs who had excited the Shinwnris against the King. They were taken outside the city, where they were buried in the earth up to their necks. Then a troop of cavalry was ordered to gallop over them. In bygone days, 1 have witnessed many gruesome punishments, such as leaving a robber to die of starvation in a cage. Yet I could see that even the populace of the capital would stand it no longer. The shops were closed in protest while praying crowds filled the mosques and only the wailing of the Afghan women who do not cry easily, broke the silence of the city that was in mourning.” The Colonel depicts the final scene of King Amanullah’s reign as follows; “The troopers of his bodyguard revolted. Bread riots broke out while the roar of guns, the whirring of aeroplanes, and the click-clack of bullets, came nearer and nearer. Then, in darkness, the people piled up, and set fire to European hats and clothing before the Royal Palace, shoutingi like madmen, and denouncing .foreign dres and all that it meant. Suddenly, a motor car was seen threading its way thrugh the crowd. There was a rush it contained only women, so it passed safely though, it contained King Amanullah himself. Thus then ended the first act! The curtain will rise on the second act when the spring sun melts the snows.”

KABUL EVACUATION. BIRD WOOD'S APPRECIATION. DELHI, March 7. Speaking at the Council of State at New Delhi yesterday, General Birdwood made a statement on the Kabul evacuations. He said the magnificent results achieved were due to the efficiency of the service. He emphasised that the operations were not of a m’litary character, and the Royal Air Force planes flying to Kabul carried no bombs or machine guns, and the pilots carried no signal pistols. The total evacuations were 586, including 342 Indians, 57 Germans, 49 Turks, 25 Persians, 23 British and French and 19 Italians. NADIR- KHAN. DELHI, March 7. Nadir Khan has left Peshawar for Paraehinar and is believd to be en route for Kabul. He said he was not wanted in Kandahar, hut he believed Amanullah would soon become King again by the tribesmen’s vote.