May Bomb Kabul

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 583, 8 February 1929, Page 9

May Bomb Kabul

RUSSIA THREATENS BACCHASAKAO

Must Pay Amanullah’s Debts (United P.A. —By Telegraph — Copyright) , (Australian and N.Z. Press A ssociation) Received 31.40 a.m. DELHI, Thursday. IT is reported from Peshawar that Russia has delivered an ultimatum to the rebel chief Bacchasakao that unless he ceases to pillage the Kabul Treasury, and pays £3,000,000 within eight days for rifles, ammunition and other war equipment supplied to ex-King Amanullah, Kabul will be bombed.

The story is not confirmed, but it is known that Afghanistan owes large sums to Russia for war equipment. A British Official Wireless message says that three Royal Air Force airplanes yesterday evacuated 37 people from Kabul to Peshawar, including nine Persian and five Turkish women and children. The Lahore of “The Times” throws interesting light on the feeling that exists»b«>fiveen Bacchasakao and Russia. Bacchasakao, he says, meted out dras-

tic treatment to Russian airmen who bombed him while he was attacking Kabul, driving them northward on foot through the mountain passes, now in the grip of winter, and leaving them to fend for themselves. Commenting on Bacchasakao’s personal appearance, the correspondent goes on: Repellant ugliness is said to be the predominant characteristic of the ex-water carrier Baccasakao, which is now the selfproclaimed Amir Habibullah of Afghanistan. Refugees from Afghanistan paint a picture of him, describing him as an impossible ruler. Of medium height, he is terribly pock-marked. He is completely illiterate, and signs his orders with the print of his thumb.