INDIAN FRONTIER RAIDS

Taihape Daily Times, 30 November 1917, Page 6

INDIAN FRONTIER RAIDS

Disturbances on tbe 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 stsated that when Turkey joined Germany it was popuplarly 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 began It is stated that when Turkey joined by many trans-border tribesmen in the Indian army. Attacks-by iffie people of the Afghan province of Khost were engineered by the fanatics. These were successfully repelled, but were only the fore-rurinefs of others. About 4000 Mohmands invaded .'"the Peshawar district, and were attacked with indecisive results. They were joined by the Babra Mullah, the unrest and the Hindustani fanatics became active. The employment of troops on a large scale became necessary. Pour thousand Bunerwals were driven back from British territory by the Ambela Pass and 10,000 Mohmands brought to the Shabkhadar border by the Babra Mullah were driven back, with 1000 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; tSulmjaated in a serious attack on Charsadda. Some 1300 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 ahhesion of the Afridis to the Government, in spite of every great efforts by mullahs and Afghan emissaries to seduce them, was of the | greatest value, and strikingly justified 1 tho _,grant of double ‘ho them id 1915. In all districts there have been evoked real proofs of devotion to the Government, widen, considering the uncertainties of 'the times, could hardly have been expected.