Timeline of Afghan history
Negotiations are going on between the
Indian government and the
amir tending to the appointment of a joint commission for determining the last 100 miles of Indo-Afghan frontier yet unsettled, from Lundi Kotal in the
Khyber to Nawar Kotal on the Kunar River .
Nasrullah Khan is received in a most cordial manner on his return from his visit to England. There are great rejoicings for two or three weeks, but then he gradually drops out of notice. His brother, Habibullah Khan, on the other hand, is immensely popular with everybody, and is in high favour with the amir.
In the fighting in
Kafiristan, the
Afghans have captured twenty-five
forts at an admitted loss of 1,500 killed and wounded. In some of the valleys, however, the Kafirs still hold out, although many of the chiefs submit to the
amir at the beginning of February. Soon after hostilities are resumed on the southern and eastern sides of Kafiristan, and nearly all the fertile portions are taken by the Afghan forces. In May the troops are ordered into the more inaccessible northwestern part, so as to complete the subjugation of the country. The
amir treats the conquered people with leniency. Orders are issued forbidding
slave traffic in Kafirs, for it was alleged that after the victories in the Bashgal Valley at the beginning of the year certain captives were reduced to an atrocious form of
slavery. The
amir also gives orders to the Afghan officers to treat the Kafirs kindly, and not seek to convert them by force to
Islam.
The
amir sends a force of
militia to occupy the Mittai Valley in Bajaur , where the
clans previously received a demand for
taxes. The
Khan of Nawagai , who rendered excellent service in the
Chitral campaign, is alarmed and complains to the government of India. The
amir, after some hesitation, acknowledges his obligations under the Durand Treaty , but at the close of the year the Afghan outpost still remains at Mittai.
On the
Pamir frontier the surrender of the Darwaz district of Bakhura to the Afghans up to the
Amu Darya, as agreed upon between
Russia and
Britain, is completed. It is stated that Russia is making movements in the direction of
Herat, and intends not only to extend the
railway from
Merv into the Kushk Valley , but also to build a line from Charjui along the
Oxus to Karki , close to the Afghan frontier.
A slight collision takes place between the forces of the Khan of Nawagai, whose territory was threatened by the Afghans at Mittai, and the Khan of Pashat , and the Afghan force moves down the Kunar River about fifteen miles from Asmar to protect their communications with
Jalalabad, but nothing more serious happens, and the final solution of the frontier question is in a fair way of settlement. The arrangements for the demarcation of the boundary between British
Baluchistan and
Persia from Koh-i-Malik Siah on the north, to a point near Jalk , are concluded, and pillars are to be set up in the
desert marking the frontier.
The
amir's realm is quiet during the year. Some suspicions that Abdor Rahman is acting unfaithfully towards the British are entirely dispelled by his loyal attitude in refusing to aid the rebel tribesmen engaged in the frontier war, or even to sympathize with them.
The Kamdesh Kafirs are being rapidly disarmed. The headmen of the villages in the Bashgal Valley send a deputation to the Sipah Salar (commander-in-chief) requesting him to keep back the force that is to be sent to collect arms in every village, promising themselves to collect the
knives,
guns, and other
weapons, and to hand them over to the Afghans.
The
amir withdraws the officials and
irregular soldiers who occupied for a year the Mittai Valley in contravention of the Durand agreement.
Nearly 150
shops in the
Kabul city
bazaar are destroyed by
fire, and several lives are lost.
The
state of
Afghanistan is peaceful and quiet throughout the year, with few exceptions. The
amir suffers much inconvenience and loss through the frontier disturbances, and to steer a middle course between the fanatical forces about him and his foreign obligations is difficult. He is accused of harbouring
Afridi refugees, but since they are fugitive
Muslims, the
amir by his
religion is bound not to repel them when seeking refuge without prearrangement. The
amir is not implicated in supplying arms and
ammunition to the tribesmen.
The
amir appoints Mir Atta Khan of Herat to succeed the late Sipah Salar Gholam Haidar Khan Orakzai.
It is announced that the Afridis are again sending
jirgas to interview Abdor Rahman at Kabul. These deputations, which are composed of Zakka khels , are turned back by the
governor of Jalalabad, no doubt by orders from the
amir. Sir James Westland , when speaking at
Simla in June, warmly eulogizes the conduct of the
amir, and says that the tribesmen should now see that although the Indian government made an agreement with the
amir, that agreement was not intended to interfere in any way with their independence.
A message from the
amir is received by the Indian government in which he says, speaking of the raid by Waziris into Afghan territory, that he expects the British will check such raids, just as the Indian government expects the Afghan officials to prevent attacks similar to that made in August on a party of
coolies in the
Tochi Valley.
Not for many years has Afghanistan been less disturbed than this year. Few tribal risings occur and the
amir Abdor Rahman continues to express friendly relations with Britain. Yet there is a disquieting rumour that Russia is preparing to advance on Herat in certain eventualities, and that an experimental mobilization of Russian troops from
Tiflis to Kushk (some sixty miles from Herat) was made at the close of the year. The
amir keeps up a friendly correspondence with the
viceroy,
Lord Curzon, during the year, and the relations between Afghanistan and the Indian government were never more cordial.
Several small disturbances are created along the frontier by marauding bands of Waziris and Mahsuds , which are easily suppressed by the local
militia without aid from regular troops.
Capt. George Roos-Keppel makes a sudden attack on a predatory band of Chamkannis that have been raiding in the Kurram Valley and captures 100 prisoners with 3,000 head of cattle. These raids, though tiresome, are, however, of no political importance.
In consequence of repeated outrages committed by the Waziris, and especially because of the murder of Col. E.H. le Marchant of the Hampshire Regiment , the Indian government orders the partial disarmament of the
Peshawar division, and of all trans-border
Pathans at the frontier, and the disarmament of all persons without licenses in all municipalities and cantonments within the division.
In spite of punitive measures the Waziri robbers continue their lawless attacks, chiefly with a view to cattle raiding.
In accordance with the frontier policy of the viceroy all regular troops are withdrawn from the
Khyber Pass to Peshawar, leaving the forts and posts in the pass to be guarded by the Khyber Rifles . Complete tranquillity prevails in consequence, and the Afridis and other local tribes are thereby convinced that the government has no idea of annexing their territory or of placing British garrisons over the border.
Rumours of contemplated aggression by Russia continue throughout the year, and are the source of much annoyance to the
amir Abdor Rahman . He complains that the British government takes no interest in his distresses, and that whenever he has proposed some check upon Russian aggressions the government of India has made no response except the suggestion that Afghanistan might consent to the construction of
railways and
telegraphs within her territories. From the Afghan point of view he declares that such concession will be impossible and only a step to ruin. For several years the
amir has given much attention to increasing the efficiency of his army, and his regulars, backed by the tribes on the frontier, would be formidable against any invader of his territory. The
amir has never departed from a purely defensive attitude, and under his treaty with England if an unprovoked attack was made upon him he could claim British help.
Trade with India is injured by the fiscal policy of the amir. Besides creating state monopolies with regard to several articles, he forbids the export of horses to India and the import of salt therefrom. Only sixty-two camel loads leave Peshawar in the year compared with 2,285 during the previous year.
A
cholera epidemic breaks out at Jalalabad and at Kabul and continues to the beginning of August, causing in Kabul the death of nearly 5,000 persons. After the departure of Sir Salter Pyne the government workshops go on with their regular work under Afghan management.
The Mahsud Waziris resume their petty raids on the frontier. On the night of October 23 a band of them attacks the military post of Nasran , killing two men and robbing the
magazine. Lieutenant Hennessey starts in pursuit, but his force is not sufficient to capture them and they escape to the ravines. A wounded Mahsud lying prone fires at Lieutenant Hennessey at a distance of five yards with fatal effect. The raiders lose one killed and five wounded.
A successful operation is carried out against the Madda Khels in the Tochi Pass by a small column. Four Pathan towers are blown up by the troops, who meet with no opposition. This action was due to the refusal of the Khels to surrender certain ringleaders implicated in the Maizar outrage of 1897.
The
amir Abdor Rahman
publishes his
autobiography, in which he complains that English policy in Afghan affairs has been inconstant and vacillating, and he urges the importance of direct diplomatic relations with Britain. He considers that England ought to give Afghanistan more of her confidence and more of her moral and material support, allowing him to annex all the territory of the independent Pathan tribes and to form a triple alliance with the neighbouring Muslim states, Persia and
Turkey. Also that Afghanistan ought to secure an outlet to the ocean and have a port for her own steamers at which to load and unload. He thinks that the policy of Afghanistan towards her two strong neighbours - England and Russia - should be friendly towards the one least aggressive, and hostile to the power wishing to pass through her country or interfere with her independence.
The commissioner of
Derajat, W.R.H. Merk , meets some 500 Mahsud Waziris and announces to them the terms of the government. Payment of a fine of one
lakh is demanded, one half to be paid by November 25, otherwise the whole tribe would be
blockaded from December 1. Dreading a blockade much more than a punitive expedition the Mahsuds agree to pay the fine and promise not to raid. The
mullah Powindah , their fanatical leader, is personally assisting in the collection of the fine in December.
Last updated: 08-21-2005 12:22:57
