ened ▁his ▁position ▁in ▁southern ▁X in ji ang ▁and ▁avoided ▁eng aging ▁in ▁battle , ▁letting ▁the ▁Turk ic ▁Muslim ▁reb els ▁do ▁the ▁fighting ▁as ▁a ▁di version ▁for ▁Sh eng ' s ▁provincial ▁army . ▁ ▁Ma ▁H ush an ▁surrounded ▁K ash gar ▁New ▁City ▁and ▁explained ▁to ▁the ▁British ▁Cons ulate - General ▁that ▁the ▁Chinese ▁Muslim ▁forces , ▁still ▁officially ▁the ▁Ku om int ang ▁ 3 6 th ▁Division , ▁were ▁acting ▁in ▁c oven ant ▁with ▁the ▁Turk ics ▁( U igh urs ) ▁to ▁over throw ▁the ▁pro - S ov iet ▁provincial ▁government ▁and ▁replace ▁it ▁with ▁an ▁Islam ic ▁government ▁loyal ▁to ▁the ▁Republic ▁of ▁China ▁Ku om int ang ▁government ▁at ▁Nan j ing . ▁ ▁Ma ▁H ush an ▁was ▁par ano id ▁about ▁a ▁Russian ▁attack . ▁He ▁controlled ▁the ▁K ash gar - K hot an ▁area ▁because ▁it ▁offered ▁him ▁a ▁safe ▁escape ▁to ▁British ▁India , ▁where ▁he ▁could ▁take ▁a ▁ste amer ▁from ▁Cal cut ta ▁safely ▁back ▁to ▁Chinese ▁se ap ort s ▁and ▁then ▁to ▁G ans u ▁and ▁Q ing hai . ▁He ▁and ▁his ▁officers ▁repeatedly ▁had ▁v owed ▁to ▁attack ▁the ▁Rus si ans ▁in ▁convers ations ▁with ▁Peter ▁F lem ing ▁and ▁sought ▁to ▁proc ure ▁gas ▁mask s ▁and ▁air plan es ▁to ▁help ▁them ▁fight . ▁ ▁In ▁August ▁ 1 9 3 7 , ▁ 5 , 0 0 0 ▁Soviet ▁Red ▁Army ▁troops ▁back ed