The bukharan emirate and turkestan under russian rule in the revolutionary era: 1917-1924

4.2. Arrival of Turkish Officials to the Region 
4.2.1. Arrival of Jemal 
Both Enver’s and Jemal’s arrivals in Turkistan region were programmed 
plans conducted by the Soviet leaders for special mission. Firstly, Jemal stepped in 
Turkistan by coming from Moscow to Tashkent in August 1920. And then, he passed 
to Kabul, Afghanistan. The Soviet leaders pursued counter-policies against Britain in 
the region by sponsoring these Turkish leaders. The Soviet policy was to cause 
turmoil and trouble for British existence in India through these Turkish leaders and 
pushed Britain to possible trouble, would be produced by never and Jemal.
250
It was the policy of Tsarist Russia, noted by Curzon, to keep England engaged in Asia with a view to offsetting any 
movement by her against Russia in Europe. There may also have been some hope of diverting Eastern Turkish nationalism 
away from grievances against Russia, and starting it on barren road of Islamic enthusiasm against the British in India across the 
mountains. But, as the event showed the last thing Lenin wanted was a focus of nationalism in Turkistan itself. 
251
Jemal conducted a number of activities after his arrival in Kabul. He collected 
the Islamic Revolutionary League and began organizing the Afghan Army. The plan 
was pursued, and he was in close contact with the Soviets by conducting the 
activities. Other side, he was playing a mediating role between the Soviets and 
Basmachis. However, after a while, he gave up conducting activities of mediating 
and pacifying the rebels, and preparations targeting British India, instead, he focused 
on organizing rebels to help them bargain with the Soviets for their independence. 
The Soviet leaders were not late to suspect him of playing a double game and 
250
Caroe, Olaf, 
Soviet Empire:
The Turks of Central Asia and Stalinism,
(New York: St. Martin’s 
Press, 1967), 122. 
251
Ibid, 122-123. 

---

97 
pursuing his own aims and plans. Indeed, he was eager to prepare a huge Afghan 
army by modernizing and training them and then planned to launch a massive attack 
over British India. After that, he hoped to rescue Turkistan from Soviet rule.
252
Since 
both Enver and Jemal were previous leaders of Union and Progressive Party in 
Ottoman Empire which had a Pan-Turkist and Pan-Turanist vision, their 
collaboration with the Soviets were so different and impossible in the long run. He 
was called back in October 1921. He was assassinated in Tiflis on 21th July 1922 
while trying to pass to Germany. His killing was a probably Bolshevik instigation.
253