▁by ▁an ▁air ▁unit ▁and ▁an ▁arm ored ▁regiment ▁moved ▁into ▁X in ji ang ▁at ▁the ▁request ▁of ▁Sh eng ▁Sh ica i , ▁whose ▁provincial ▁troops ▁were ▁defeated ▁by ▁Muslim ▁reb els ▁in ▁July ▁ 1 9 3 7 ▁at ▁a ▁battle ▁near ▁Kar ash ar ▁and ▁were ▁unable ▁to ▁continue ▁their ▁advance ▁on ▁the ▁south . ▁At ▁the ▁end ▁of ▁August ▁provincial ▁forces , ▁including ▁White ▁Rus si ans , ▁Red ▁Army ▁and ▁NK VD ▁units , ▁decis ively ▁defeated ▁K ich ik ▁Ak h und ' s ▁troops ▁at ▁A ks u , ▁with ▁most ▁of ▁his ▁troops ▁being ▁anni h il ated ▁after ▁they ▁were ▁machine - g unn ed ▁and ▁bom bed ▁in ▁air ▁attacks ▁by ▁a ▁squad ron ▁of ▁ 2 4 ▁Soviet ▁air plan es ▁in ▁an ▁open ▁field ▁near ▁A ks u . ▁As ▁a ▁result , ▁K ich ik ▁Ak h und ▁and ▁Abd ul ▁Ni y az ▁escaped ▁to ▁K ash gar ▁with ▁only ▁ 2 0 0 ▁men . ▁After ▁this ▁battle ▁Ma ▁Sh eng - k ue i ▁was ▁b rib ed ▁by ▁Sh eng ▁Sh ica i ▁to ▁defect ▁and ▁turn ▁against ▁Ma ▁H ush an . ▁Ma ▁Sh eng - k ue i ▁march ed ▁on ▁K ash gar ▁on ▁September ▁ 1 , ▁ 1 9 3 7 , ▁only ▁to ▁find ▁that ▁Ma ▁H ush an , ▁Ma ▁Ju - lung ▁and ▁P ai ▁T zu - li ▁with d rew ▁toward ▁K arg hal ik