IOR/R/15/2/90

The file deals with political relations between the King of Hejaz and Najd [‘Abd al-‘Azīz bin ‘Abd al-Raḥmān bin Fayṣal Āl Sa‘ūd] (commonly referred to in the papers as Bin Saud or Ibn Saud) and the states of Iraq and Kuwait, particularly in terms of raids by Akhwan [Ikhwān] tribes from Najd.

The correspondence is mainly between the Political Resident in the Persian Gulf (Lieutenant-Colonel Lionel Berkeley Holt Haworth) and the Political Agent, Bahrain (also spelled Bahrein, Major Cyril Charles Johnson Barrett). There is also correspondence between British officials and Bin Saud. Enclosures to correspondence from the Political Resident include copies of correspondence with the Political Agent, Kuwait; the office of the High Commissioner, Iraq; the Colonial Office, London; the Government of India; the Senior Naval Officer in the Persian Gulf; and other British officials in the region.

The papers cover the following:

• disputes over border posts in Iraq;
• diplomatic contact between the British and Bin Saud;
• report on Bin Saud and the Iraqi press (folios 27-28);
• activities of Faisal ad Dawish [Fayṣal al-Dawīsh] and other Akhwan leaders;
• raids by Akhwan tribes, especially Mutair and Ajman;
• activities of the Royal Navy and Royal Indian Marine to protect Kuwait;
• activities of the Royal Air Force (RAF) to protect Kuwait;
• use of air reconnaissance against tribes;
• the British response to the raids, including the need to protect British subjects and British property in Kuwait (e.g. folio 79);
• note on Bin Saud by Barrett, 3 March 1928 (folios 134-140);
• use of cars, aeroplanes and armoured cars to defend against attacks by Akhwan;
• threat to British oil supplies (folios 192-194);
• descriptions of plunder taken by Akhwan from desert tribes (donkeys, sheep, goats etc.);
• Akhwan 'jehad' [jihad] against non-Akhwan tribes (e.g. folios 209-210);
• provision by British of machine guns and Lewis guns for defence of Kuwait (e.g. folio 234);
• threat of extension of conflict to Trans-Jordan (folio 310).

The Arabic content of the file consists of approximately ten folios of correspondence, mainly copies of letters from the Political Agent, Bahrain.

The date range gives the covering dates of the main run of correspondence. The earliest document in the file is an enclosure to the first item of correspondence and is dated 28 January 1928.