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North-West Frontier Theatre of WWI

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North-West Frontier Theatre of WWI
Part of World War I

A Mashud Village Burning following the operation
DateNovember 1914–July 1917
Location
North-West Frontier Province
Result Anglo–Indian victory
Belligerents

 British Empire

  • Khost tribesmen
  • Bunerwals tribes
  • Swatis tribes
  • Mohmand Tribe
  • Mahsud tribesmen

    • Supported by:

    Commanders and leaders
  • Major-General Sir Vere Bonamy Fane
  • Major-General Frederick Campbell
  • Major-General William Benyon
    		•  Tribesmen leaders
    Units involved
  • Khost tribesmen
  • Bunerwals tribes
  • Swatis tribes
  • Mohmand Tribe
  • Mahsud tribesmen
    • Strength
    Few thousand soldiers 7,000 tribesmen

    Background

    [edit]

    In support of the British war effort, the Indian Army deployed expeditionary forces to the Western Front, East Africa, Gallipoli, Mesopotamia, Sinai and Palestine. India was thus vulnerable to hostile attention from Afghanistan. A Turco-German mission arrived in Kabul in October 1915 with obvious strategic purpose. However, Amir Habibulla abided by his treaty obligations and maintained Afghanistan's neutrality, in the face of internal opposition from factions keen to side with the Ottoman Sultan. Hostilities on the frontier remained local.

    Many operations occurred in the North-West Frontier Province through the late 1800s and all the way up to Indian Independence in 1947.[1] Some of these occurred during WWI being carried out by tribes loyal to the Ottomans.[2] These forces fought on and off from the time of the Ottoman entry into the war all the way until the summer of 1917.

    Operations

    [edit]

    Operations in the Tochi

    [edit]

    There were two raids conducted by Kochi tribesman, They were later both suppressed by a single British brigade In March 1915.[3]

    Operations against the Mohmands, Bunerwals and Swatis in 1915

    [edit]

    Were a group of raids led by pro-ottoman tribesman, they was later suppressed in September 1915.[3]

    Kalat Operations (1915-16)

    [edit]

    Mohmand blockade

    [edit]

    was a blockade done on Mohmand tribesman following their declaration of Jihad. It was lifted following their suppression in 1917.[4]

    Operations against the Mahsuds (1917)

    [edit]

    A series of engagements in early 1917. A peace agreement was reached on 10 August 1917 with a Mahsud jirga.[4]

    Operations against the Marri and Khetran tribes (1918)

    [edit]

    Central Powers Involvement

    [edit]

    The Provisional Government of India and Germany smuggled weapons through Afghanistan. The Ottomans also supported the rebellion by declaring jihad.

    Aftermath

    [edit]

    Following the ending of the North-West Frontier Campaign many more similar instances of rebellion continued until Indian independence.

    See also

    [edit]

    Sources

    [edit]
    1. ^ "Paris, John, (2 May 1912–14 June 1985), Director, National Army Museum, 1967–69", Who Was Who, Oxford University Press, 1 December 2007, doi:10.1093/ww/9780199540884.013.u167857, retrieved 23 May 2024
    2. ^ Baha, Lal (February 1970). "The North-West frontier in the first World War". Asian Affairs. 1 (1): 29–37. doi:10.1080/03068377008729519. ISSN 0306-8374.
    3. ^ a b Strachan, Hew (2003). The First World War. 1: To arms (1. publ. in paperback ed.). Oxford Berlin: Oxford Univ. Press. ISBN 978-0-19-926191-8.
    4. ^ a b Macro, Paul (2019). Action at Badama Post: the Third Afghan War ; 1919. Oxford Philadelphia: Casemate. ISBN 978-1-61200-760-1.
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