An Iraqi army helicopter fires at a target near Al Ayadieh village during an operation to retake the northern city of Tal Afar from ISIS in August 2017. AFP
An Iraqi army helicopter fires at a target near Al Ayadieh village during an operation to retake the northern city of Tal Afar from ISIS in August 2017. AFP
An Iraqi army helicopter fires at a target near Al Ayadieh village during an operation to retake the northern city of Tal Afar from ISIS in August 2017. AFP
An Iraqi army helicopter fires at a target near Al Ayadieh village during an operation to retake the northern city of Tal Afar from ISIS in August 2017. AFP

Iraqi air force strikes ISIS cell that attacked army barracks


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Iraq’s air force killed nine suspected ISIS fighters in retaliation for an attack on an Iraqi army barracks earlier this month, officials said on Sunday.

ISIS gunmen broke into the barracks in the mountainous Al Azim district, near the town of Baqubah, on January 21, killed a guard and shot dead 11 soldiers as they slept.

It was one of the boldest attacks by the militants in recent weeks and came amid a sharp rise in violence that stoked fears the group has been revitalised.

Yehia Rasool, the spokesman for Iraq’s commander in chief, said the joint military operations room and the air force identified the cell behind the attack as its members hid in Al Azim, a district in Diyala, a province north of Baghdad.

Three air strikes were launched that killed the nine militants, he said.

A security official told The Associated Press that four among the killed were Lebanese, from the northern city of Tripoli.

Lebanon’s Al Jadeed TV gave a higher death toll. It said that five Lebanese were killed in Iraq. One family member appealed in the broadcast to Lebanese authorities to help with the return of the bodies.

Tripoli is Lebanon’s poorest city and has been prone to violence. Militants inspired by ISIS launched attacks there against Lebanon’s army in 2014.

Iraqi anti-terrorism units inspected seven prisons holding ISIS militants on Sunday.

Militants attempted to free ISIS suspects from a prison in north-eastern Syria on January 20.

The attack on the prison in Hassakeh province was carried out by about 200 militants who were joined by rioting inmates. Dozens of people were killed and suspects escaped as fighting raged for more than a week.

On Sunday, the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces announced the end of its sweep operations in the prison “by eliminating the last pockets in the northern dormitories where terrorists had been barricaded”.

The attack was carried out on the largest of a dozen detention centres in Syria that house militants. More than 3,000 suspected ISIS militants, including more than 600 minors, were held there. The Kurdish-led SDF said most of the prisoners and militants surrendered, and scores were killed.

ISIS was largely defeated in Iraq in 2017. The group was dealt a final blow in 2019 when it lost its last territory in south-east Syria during the US-led military campaign in co-operation with Syrian Kurdish-led forces.

But thousands of militants melted into the desert and have continued to wage attacks, frequently hitting security forces and the military with roadside bombs and firing on army convoys or checkpoints in both countries.

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Our family matters legal consultant

Name: Dr Hassan Mohsen Elhais

Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.

Our legal consultants

Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais

Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.

RESULT

Argentina 0 Croatia 3
Croatia: 
Rebic (53'), Modric (80'), Rakitic (90' 1)

SCORES IN BRIEF

Lahore Qalandars 186 for 4 in 19.4 overs
(Sohail 100,Phil Salt 37 not out, Bilal Irshad 30, Josh Poysden 2-26)
bt Yorkshire Vikings 184 for 5 in 20 overs
(Jonathan Tattersall 36, Harry Brook 37, Gary Ballance 33, Adam Lyth 32, Shaheen Afridi 2-36).

Living in...

This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.

Tamkeen's offering
  • Option 1: 70% in year 1, 50% in year 2, 30% in year 3
  • Option 2: 50% across three years
  • Option 3: 30% across five years 
Brief scoreline:

Manchester United 2

Rashford 28', Martial 72'

Watford 1

Doucoure 90'

The specs: 2018 Dodge Durango SRT

Price, base / as tested: Dh259,000

Engine: 6.4-litre V8

Power: 475hp @ 6,000rpm

Torque: 640Nm @ 4,300rpm

Transmission: Eight-speed automatic

Fuel consumption, combined: 7.7L / 100km

The biog

Name: Mariam Ketait

Emirate: Dubai

Hobbies: I enjoy travelling, experiencing new things, painting, reading, flying, and the French language

Favourite quote: "Be the change you wish to see" - unknown

Favourite activity: Connecting with different cultures

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- 5 wins in 22 months as pro
- Three wins in past 10 starts
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- Ranked 551th in world on debut, now No 4 (was No 2 earlier this year)
- 5th player in last 30 years to win 3 European Tour and 2 PGA Tour titles before age 24 (Woods, Garcia, McIlroy, Spieth)

SERIES INFO

Schedule:
All matches at the Harare Sports Club
1st ODI, Wed Apr 10
2nd ODI, Fri Apr 12
3rd ODI, Sun Apr 14
4th ODI, Sun Apr 16

UAE squad
Mohammed Naveed (captain), Rohan Mustafa, Ashfaq Ahmed, Shaiman Anwar, Mohammed Usman, CP Rizwan, Chirag Suri, Mohammed Boota, Ghulam Shabber, Sultan Ahmed, Imran Haider, Amir Hayat, Zahoor Khan, Qadeer Ahmed

Zimbabwe squad
Peter Moor (captain), Solomon Mire, Brian Chari, Regis Chakabva, Sean Williams, Timycen Maruma, Sikandar Raza, Donald Tiripano, Kyle Jarvis, Tendai Chatara, Chris Mpofu, Craig Ervine, Brandon Mavuta, Ainsley Ndlovu, Tony Munyonga, Elton Chigumbura

Desert Warrior

Starring: Anthony Mackie, Aiysha Hart, Ben Kingsley

Director: Rupert Wyatt

Rating: 3/5

The specs

Engine: Dual 180kW and 300kW front and rear motors

Power: 480kW

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On sale: Now

New process leads to panic among jobseekers

As a UAE-based travel agent who processes tourist visas from the Philippines, Jennifer Pacia Gado is fielding a lot of calls from concerned travellers just now. And they are all asking the same question.  

“My clients are mostly Filipinos, and they [all want to know] about good conduct certificates,” says the 34-year-old Filipina, who has lived in the UAE for five years.

Ms Gado contacted the Philippines Embassy to get more information on the certificate so she can share it with her clients. She says many are worried about the process and associated costs – which could be as high as Dh500 to obtain and attest a good conduct certificate from the Philippines for jobseekers already living in the UAE. 

“They are worried about this because when they arrive here without the NBI [National Bureau of Investigation] clearance, it is a hassle because it takes time,” she says.

“They need to go first to the embassy to apply for the application of the NBI clearance. After that they have go to the police station [in the UAE] for the fingerprints. And then they will apply for the special power of attorney so that someone can finish the process in the Philippines. So it is a long process and more expensive if you are doing it from here.”

Dust and sand storms compared

Sand storm

  • Particle size: Larger, heavier sand grains
  • Visibility: Often dramatic with thick "walls" of sand
  • Duration: Short-lived, typically localised
  • Travel distance: Limited 
  • Source: Open desert areas with strong winds

Dust storm

  • Particle size: Much finer, lightweight particles
  • Visibility: Hazy skies but less intense
  • Duration: Can linger for days
  • Travel distance: Long-range, up to thousands of kilometres
  • Source: Can be carried from distant regions
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Brave CF 27 fight card

Welterweight:
Abdoul Abdouraguimov (champion, FRA) v Jarrah Al Selawe (JOR)

Lightweight:
Anas Siraj Mounir (TUN) v Alex Martinez (CAN)

Welterweight:
Mzwandile Hlongwa (RSA) v Khamzat Chimaev (SWE)

Middleweight:
Tarek Suleiman (SYR) v Rustam Chsiev (RUS)
Mohammad Fakhreddine (LEB) v Christofer Silva (BRA)

Super lightweight:
Alex Nacfur (BRA) v Dwight Brooks (USA)

Bantamweight:
Jalal Al Daaja (JOR) v Tariq Ismail (CAN)
Chris Corton (PHI) v Zia Mashwani (PAK)

Featherweight:
Sulaiman (KUW) v Abdullatip (RUS)

Super lightweight:
Flavio Serafin (BRA) v Mohammad Al Katib (JOR)

Updated: January 30, 2022, 7:14 PM