In global discussion of the complex Syrian war, there is a tendency for people to focus on either its most momentous events or those closest to home.
For instance, the British public has seized upon the fate of the 19-year-old ISIS wife Shamima Begum, who left London while still a schoolgirl to join the group and whose British citizenship now hangs in the balance. US citizens have debated the merits of President Donald Trump’s mooted troop withdrawal. Meanwhile, the whole world has been engrossed in the stream of families fleeing Baghouz, the last redoubt of ISIS.
In the process, less obvious stories are overlooked. Eight years into a conflict that has killed more than 500,000 people and displaced 7.6 million, the north-western province of Idlib is the last bastion of opposition to Bashar Al Assad's regime. And with global attention diverted elsewhere, the enclave is at risk of becoming a bloodbath.
Today, some three million people live in Idlib. While most are civilians, it is policed by the Free Syrian Army and dominated in parts by powerful hardline groups, chiefly the Al Qaeda affiliate Hayat Tahrir Al Sham. A deal struck between Russia and Turkey in Sochi last September has averted a regime onslaught – but now cracks appear to be forming.
Last Wednesday, airstrikes by the regime and its Russian backers hit towns in the province, marking the gravest violation to date. Facing the twin threat of regular shelling and clashes between extremist groups, Idlib's civilian population is losing hope. Meanwhile, humanitarian aid convoys have been attacked, schools are closed and hospitals have been reduced to rubble.
This year, the United Nations is requesting nearly $9 billion in aid for Syria. The human suffering is immense, and dispersed across the war-torn nation, but the world should not take its eyes off Idlib. Because an all-out attack on the province could see displacement and bloodshed on a scale thus far unseen.
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Blackpink World Tour [Born Pink] In Cinemas
Starring: Rose, Jisoo, Jennie, Lisa
Directors: Min Geun, Oh Yoon-Dong
Rating: 3/5
SPECS
Engine: 4-litre V8 twin-turbo
Power: 630hp
Torque: 850Nm
Transmission: 8-speed Tiptronic automatic
Price: From Dh599,000
On sale: Now
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COMPANY PROFILE
Initial investment: Undisclosed
Investment stage: Series A
Investors: Core42
Current number of staff: 47
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How to protect yourself when air quality drops
Install an air filter in your home.
Close your windows and turn on the AC.
Shower or bath after being outside.
Wear a face mask.
Stay indoors when conditions are particularly poor.
If driving, turn your engine off when stationary.
TICKETS
Tickets start at Dh100 for adults, while children can enter free on the opening day. For more information, visit www.mubadalawtc.com.
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Almnssa
Started: August 2020
Founder: Areej Selmi
Based: Gaza
Sectors: Internet, e-commerce
Investments: Grants/private funding
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Abdul Jabar Qahraman was meeting supporters in his campaign office in the southern Afghan province of Helmand when a bomb hidden under a sofa exploded on Wednesday.
The blast in the provincial capital Lashkar Gah killed the Afghan election candidate and at least another three people, Interior Minister Wais Ahmad Barmak told reporters. Another three were wounded, while three suspects were detained, he said.
The Taliban – which controls much of Helmand and has vowed to disrupt the October 20 parliamentary elections – claimed responsibility for the attack.
Mr Qahraman was at least the 10th candidate killed so far during the campaign season, and the second from Lashkar Gah this month. Another candidate, Saleh Mohammad Asikzai, was among eight people killed in a suicide attack last week. Most of the slain candidates were murdered in targeted assassinations, including Avtar Singh Khalsa, the first Afghan Sikh to run for the lower house of the parliament.
The same week the Taliban warned candidates to withdraw from the elections. On Wednesday the group issued fresh warnings, calling on educational workers to stop schools from being used as polling centres.
Take Me Apart
Kelela
(Warp)
The specs: 2018 BMW R nineT Scrambler
Price, base / as tested Dh57,000
Engine 1,170cc air/oil-cooled flat twin four-stroke engine
Transmission Six-speed gearbox
Power 110hp) @ 7,750rpm
Torque 116Nm @ 6,000rpm
Fuel economy, combined 5.3L / 100km
The Written World: How Literature Shaped History
Martin Puchner
Granta
