Tawfiq Bay

Who is Tawfiq Bay?

Tawfiq Bay, or Sayyid Ahmad Tawfiq Bay Sharif Efendi, was a Syrian Arab traveler who had been in the service of King Ibn Saud of Saudi Arabia, eventually traveling to Xinjiang, Republic of China, in 1932. He was deported by the Chinese Muslim Daotai Ma Shaowu. On August 26 he arrived at Kashgar oases. He joined the Uighur and Kirghiz Turkic Muslim fighters of the First East Turkestan Republic, who were fighting against the Chinese Muslim forces of the 36th Division, who were loyal to the Republic of China government. Tawfiq was a Pan Islamist.

The Turkic armies were led by Osman Ali, Abdullah Bughra, Nur Ahmad Jan Bughra, and Muhammad Amin Bughra. Tawfiq Bay was given command of an army of Turkic fighters.

The Chinese Muslim General Ma Zhancang beat off the Turkic Muslims led by Tawfiq and Osman with ease at Kashgar New City, and inflicted severe casualties on the Turkic troops. On September 26, 1933, Tawfiq Bay led an assault against the Chinese Muslims in Kashgar New City. Ma Zhancang's troops repulsed the attack, inflicting heavy casualties, and Tawfiq Bay was severely wounded in the stomach, and retired from fighting.