INDIAN FRONTIER RAIDS.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXIX, Issue 1760, 4 December 1917, Page 4

INDIAN FRONTIER RAIDS.

Disturbances on the North-west Frontier of India and the steps necessary to quell the raids organised by fanatics, are described in an official statement relating to the moral and material progress of India in 1915-16. It is stated that when Turkey joined Germany it W’gs popularly thought that Persia would join Turkey and that the Amir of Afghanistan would be forced to do the same. The tribal mullahs, eagerly seconded by the mullahs of Southern Afghanistan, began to preach “jehad,” and were joined by many trans-border tribesmen in the Indian Army. Attacks by the people Of the Afghan province of Khost were engineered by the fanatics. These were successfully repelled, but were only the forerunners of others. About 4,000 Mohmands in-, vaded the Peshaxvar district, and were attacked with indecisive results. They were joined by the Babra Mullah, the unrest spread, and the Hindustani fanatics became active. The employment of troops on a large scale became necessary. Four thousand Bunerwals were driven hack from British territory by the Anibela Pass, and 10,000 Mohmands brought jo the Shabkhadar border by the Babra Mpl}ah were driven back, with 1,000 dead and wounded. Later, 10,000 again, threatened the Peshawar district, but were completely dispersed. A series of raids by the Mohmands in the Peshawar district, in reprisal for districts placed under blockade, culminated in a serious attack on Charsadda. Some 1,300 cis-border Mohmands and others suspected of assisting raiding gangs were thereupon arrested, and about 300 were kept as hostages, after ■which raiding ceased. Throughout all these events on the Peshawar border, the loyal adhesion of the Afrifiri to the Government, in' spite of very greatefforts by mullahs and Afghan issaries to seduce them, was of the greatest value, and'strikingly justified the grant of double allowances to them in 1015, In all districts jhere have been evoked peal proofs of devotion to the Government; which, considering the uncertainties of the times, could hardly have been expected,