TCD MS 10515 folio 131 recto
Dispositions of the troops before I come to the consideration of the actual in-cidents that occurred.
It appears that an Arab of some in-fluence, by name Abdul Hussain oc-cupied a village on the left bank of the Euphrates which we, for simplicity, cal-led after him and by which name it is indicated on the accompanying map. This Arab had been implic-ated in the the stealing of government bellums. Three times he had been ordered by the Political Officers to come to Nasiriyah and account for his actions. He refused to do so unless he was first given a free conduct that he might return to his village with-outany danger of being apprehended. He refused a free conduct and he refused to attend the Political Court. This expedition was a punitive one.