ADEN // One of the leading figures of Al Qaeda in the Araban Peninsula (AQAP) surrendered to Yemeni security forces on Thursday morning.
Aden police spokesman Abdurrahman Al Naqeeb said Taher Tammah gave himself up to security forces in the southern province of Lahj.
“Tammah surrendered to the leader of the emergency forces in Lahj province, Moneer Al Yafei, and [Mr Al Yafei] brought Tammah to the coalition forces in Aden,” said Mr Naqeeb, referring to the Saudi-led coalition that is fighting on the side of the government in Yemen’s civil war.
Tammah is considered to be one of the most dangerous leaders of AQAP in Lahj’s Yafe and Radfan districts and was sought by the security forces for the “chaos” he unleashed in the province – including helping AQAP to overtake Al Hawta, the capital of Lahj, in January.
On Wednesday, antiterrorism forces stormed the Aden home of ISIL’s military commander in Yemen, Ridhwan Qanan, and seized a large cache of weapons and explosives. Qanan was not at home when they entered and there are rumours, reported by local websites, that he is already dead after being killed in an air strike in April.
The raid, which was carried out in cooperation with coalition forces and the Aden police, was one of a series targeting known ISIL bases where arms and bomb-making equipment are stored.
Ridhwan Qanan is considered to be one of the most important ISIL players in Yemen. In the past, he has moved between Lahj and Abyan as well as Aden but has more recently been in the southern port city.
Aden police spokesman Mr Al Naqeeb said security forces had discovered a large hoard of weaponry, including TNT, explosive belts, remote-controlled explosive devices and a range of missiles and firearms.
The raid was the result of several days of intelligence gathering and investigation, Mr Al Naqeeb told The National.
Both ISIL and AQAP have exploited the civil war in Yemen between forces loyal to the internationally-recognised government and the Shiite Houthi rebels. Between April and June of last year, both groups began to expand their activities and influence to the country’s southern provinces, which are broadly loyal to president Abdrabu Mansur Hadi. In the June they began to target Yemeni officials and forces from the Saudi-led coalition, which also includes the UAE.
Mr Al Naqeeb said security had been stepped up in Aden in recent days following the return to the city of government ministers from exile and the announcement concerning the forthcoming relocation of Yemen’s central bank from the capital, Sanaa, which is under Houthi control.
“The security forces in Aden have intensified activity during the last few days, and will continue to chase the extremists in the province and the surrounding provinces,” he said.
ISIL and AQAP are rivals in southern Yemen and the security authorities, with coalition help, are determined to clear them both out in preparation for the government resuming office in Aden as the temporary capital.
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Champions League Last 16
Red Bull Salzburg (AUT) v Bayern Munich (GER)
Sporting Lisbon (POR) v Manchester City (ENG)
Benfica (POR) v Ajax (NED)
Chelsea (ENG) v Lille (FRA)
Atletico Madrid (ESP) v Manchester United (ENG)
Villarreal (ESP) v Juventus (ITA)
Inter Milan (ITA) v Liverpool (ENG)
Paris Saint-Germain v Real Madrid (ESP)
Dubai World Cup nominations
UAE: Thunder Snow/Saeed bin Suroor (trainer), North America/Satish Seemar, Drafted/Doug Watson, New Trails/Ahmad bin Harmash, Capezzano, Gronkowski, Axelrod, all trained by Salem bin Ghadayer
USA: Seeking The Soul/Dallas Stewart, Imperial Hunt/Luis Carvajal Jr, Audible/Todd Pletcher, Roy H/Peter Miller, Yoshida/William Mott, Promises Fulfilled/Dale Romans, Gunnevera/Antonio Sano, XY Jet/Jorge Navarro, Pavel/Doug O’Neill, Switzerland/Steve Asmussen.
Japan: Matera Sky/Hideyuki Mori, KT Brace/Haruki Sugiyama. Bahrain: Nine Below Zero/Fawzi Nass. Ireland: Tato Key/David Marnane. Hong Kong: Fight Hero/Me Tsui. South Korea: Dolkong/Simon Foster.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
'My Son'
Director: Christian Carion
Starring: James McAvoy, Claire Foy, Tom Cullen, Gary Lewis
Rating: 2/5
Libya's Gold
UN Panel of Experts found regime secretly sold a fifth of the country's gold reserves.
The panel’s 2017 report followed a trail to West Africa where large sums of cash and gold were hidden by Abdullah Al Senussi, Qaddafi’s former intelligence chief, in 2011.
Cases filled with cash that was said to amount to $560m in 100 dollar notes, that was kept by a group of Libyans in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso.
A second stash was said to have been held in Accra, Ghana, inside boxes at the local offices of an international human rights organisation based in France.
Rocketman
Director: Dexter Fletcher
Starring: Taron Egerton, Richard Madden, Jamie Bell
Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
Results
5pm: Warsan Lake – Maiden (PA) Dh80,000 (Turf) 2,200m; Winner: Dhaw Al Reef, Sam Hitchcott (jockey), Abdallah Al Hammadi (trainer)
5.30pm: Al Quadra Lake – Maiden (PA) Dh80,000 (T) 1,600m; Winner: Mrouwah Al Gharbia, Sando Paiva, Abubakar Daud
6pm: Hatta Lake – Handicap (PA) Dh80,000 (T) 1,600m; Winner: AF Yatroq, George Buckell, Ernst Oertel
6.30pm: Wathba Stallions Cup – Handicap (PA) Dh70,000 (T) 1,600m; Winner: Ashton Tourettes, Adries de Vries, Ibrahim Aseel
7pm: Abu Dhabi Championship – Listed (PA) Dh180,000 (T) 1,600m; Winner: Bahar Muscat, Antonio Fresu, Ibrahim Al Hadhrami
7.30pm: Zakher Lake – Rated Conditions (TB) Dh80,000 (T) 1,400m; Winner: Alfareeq, Dane O’Neill, Musabah Al Muhairi.
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Squid Game season two
Director: Hwang Dong-hyuk
Stars: Lee Jung-jae, Wi Ha-joon and Lee Byung-hun
Rating: 4.5/5
Frankenstein in Baghdad
Ahmed Saadawi
Penguin Press
GAC GS8 Specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
Power: 248hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 400Nm at 1,750-4,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 9.1L/100km
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MATCH INFO
Chelsea 0
Liverpool 2 (Mane 50', 54')
Red card: Andreas Christensen (Chelsea)
Man of the match: Sadio Mane (Liverpool)
Match info:
Portugal 1
Ronaldo (4')
Morocco 0
MEDIEVIL%20(1998)
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Avatar: Fire and Ash
Director: James Cameron
Starring: Sam Worthington, Sigourney Weaver, Zoe Saldana
Rating: 4.5/5
New UK refugee system
- A new “core protection” for refugees moving from permanent to a more basic, temporary protection
- Shortened leave to remain - refugees will receive 30 months instead of five years
- A longer path to settlement with no indefinite settled status until a refugee has spent 20 years in Britain
- To encourage refugees to integrate the government will encourage them to out of the core protection route wherever possible.
- Under core protection there will be no automatic right to family reunion
- Refugees will have a reduced right to public funds
Who has lived at The Bishops Avenue?
- George Sainsbury of the supermarket dynasty, sugar magnate William Park Lyle and actress Dame Gracie Fields were residents in the 1930s when the street was only known as ‘Millionaires’ Row’.
- Then came the international super rich, including the last king of Greece, Constantine II, the Sultan of Brunei and Indian steel magnate Lakshmi Mittal who was at one point ranked the third richest person in the world.
- Turkish tycoon Halis Torprak sold his mansion for £50m in 2008 after spending just two days there. The House of Saud sold 10 properties on the road in 2013 for almost £80m.
- Other residents have included Iraqi businessman Nemir Kirdar, singer Ariana Grande, holiday camp impresario Sir Billy Butlin, businessman Asil Nadir, Paul McCartney’s former wife Heather Mills.
Hunting park to luxury living
- Land was originally the Bishop of London's hunting park, hence the name
- The road was laid out in the mid 19th Century, meandering through woodland and farmland
- Its earliest houses at the turn of the 20th Century were substantial detached properties with extensive grounds
What can victims do?
Always use only regulated platforms
Stop all transactions and communication on suspicion
Save all evidence (screenshots, chat logs, transaction IDs)
Report to local authorities
Warn others to prevent further harm
Courtesy: Crystal Intelligence
