British Indian troops, under the command of Major-General Wilfrid Malleson, engaged Soviet Red Army forces near the town of Dushak in the Transcaspian Region (modern-day Turkmenistan).

Although the supply line from Meshed to Ashkhabad was operational, the British force still relied heavily on the Transcaspian Committee for provisions, medical support, and transportation.

Despite cordial relations between the British and the committee, the latter faced internal issues, particularly distrust between members of proletarian and bourgeois backgrounds.

[5] British-Transcaspian military cooperation remained strong, with former Russian officers holding key positions in the Transcaspian army and showing admiration for British and Indian troops.

[5] The Bolshevik defeat at Dushak proved significant, as it allowed the Transcaspian government to regain control of Merv and the surrounding oasis area, alleviating an economic crisis that threatened their stability.