A Kurdish Peshmerga fighter affiliated with the Kurdistan Freedom Party (PAK), mans a position north of Kirkuk, in Iraq's Kurdistan region. AFP
A Kurdish Peshmerga fighter affiliated with the Kurdistan Freedom Party (PAK), mans a position north of Kirkuk, in Iraq's Kurdistan region. AFP
A Kurdish Peshmerga fighter affiliated with the Kurdistan Freedom Party (PAK), mans a position north of Kirkuk, in Iraq's Kurdistan region. AFP
A Kurdish Peshmerga fighter affiliated with the Kurdistan Freedom Party (PAK), mans a position north of Kirkuk, in Iraq's Kurdistan region. AFP

Iran defends military strikes in Iraq as it faces more UN scrutiny


  • English
  • Arabic

Iran on Thursday defended its almost daily military strikes on Iraq in a letter to the UN, saying it had no choice but to aim at Kurdish groups in "self-defence".

Tehran carried out "operations against terrorist groups in northern Iraq", its permanent representative to the UN said in a letter to the Security Council, "as it had no other choice than to use its natural right to defend itself in the framework of international law to protect its national security".

The letter was issued as Iran's actions came under further scrutiny in a special session of the UN Human Rights council in Geneva, where a resolution was passed to investigate the its crackdown on anti-regime protesters.

Tehran has launched a series of attacks on Iraq's northern Kurdistan region, which it says are aimed at exiled Kurdish Iranian opposition groups based there.

The strikes have increased since the outbreak of mass protests in mid-September. Tehran accuses the Kurdish groups of fomenting the unrest, which was sparked by the death of a young Iranian Kurdish woman, Mahsa Amini, in custody of the morality police. At least 4,000 people have been arrested and 300 were killed, including 40 children, since the demonstrations began, according to Iranian rights groups.

An Iranian woman helps to create the Women Life Freedom mural in Edinburgh, Scotland. Members of the public are being invited to add their hand-print to the artwork to help raise awareness about the uprising in Iran. PA
An Iranian woman helps to create the Women Life Freedom mural in Edinburgh, Scotland. Members of the public are being invited to add their hand-print to the artwork to help raise awareness about the uprising in Iran. PA

On Friday, Tehran said it was sending reinforcements to the west and north-west of the country, home mainly to Kurds and other minorities, who have borne the brunt of the state's iron fist response to the protests.

The commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps said armoured units and special IRGC forces were being sent to the region to boost security and prevent "the infiltration of affiliated terrorist teams" in northern Iraq, the Iranian Tasnim news agency reported.

General Mohammad Pakpour said the deployment was a response to "evil and anti-Iranian separatist groups in the north-west of the country."

Iran says it has given Iraq deadlines to "disarm the terrorist groups" based across the border.

Missiles and drones struck a Free Kurdistan party base near Kirkuk on Tuesday in an attack claimed by Iran.

Iraq has said it will bolster security along its borders with Iran as well as Turkey, which has also been carrying out attacks on Kurds in northern Iraq.

Like Iran, Turkey says that Kurdish groups based in Iraq's semi-autonomous Kurdistan region threaten its national security.

The strikes have continued despite protests from Iraq's federal and Kurdish regional governments.

Civilians have been killed and residential areas abandoned in fear of further attacks, which have hit rural areas as well as large cities such as Erbil and Sulaymaniyah.

If you go

The flights

The closest international airport for those travelling from the UAE is Denver, Colorado. British Airways (www.ba.com) flies from the UAE via London from Dh3,700 return, including taxes. From there, transfers can be arranged to the ranch or it’s a seven-hour drive. Alternatively, take an internal flight to the counties of Cody, Casper, or Billings

The stay

Red Reflet offers a series of packages, with prices varying depending on season. All meals and activities are included, with prices starting from US$2,218 (Dh7,150) per person for a minimum stay of three nights, including taxes. For more information, visit red-reflet-ranch.net.

 

Sheer grandeur

The Owo building is 14 storeys high, seven of which are below ground, with the 30,000 square feet of amenities located subterranean, including a 16-seat private cinema, seven lounges, a gym, games room, treatment suites and bicycle storage.

A clear distinction between the residences and the Raffles hotel with the amenities operated separately.

Dhadak 2

Director: Shazia Iqbal

Starring: Siddhant Chaturvedi, Triptii Dimri 

Rating: 1/5

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Brief scoreline:

Manchester United 2

Rashford 28', Martial 72'

Watford 1

Doucoure 90'

The White Lotus: Season three

Creator: Mike White

Starring: Walton Goggins, Jason Isaacs, Natasha Rothwell

Rating: 4.5/5

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Israel Palestine on Swedish TV 1958-1989

Director: Goran Hugo Olsson

Rating: 5/5

Aayan%E2%80%99s%20records
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EYoungest%20UAE%20men%E2%80%99s%20cricketer%3C%2Fstrong%3E%3Cbr%3EWhen%20he%20debuted%20against%20Bangladesh%20aged%2016%20years%20and%20314%20days%2C%20he%20became%20the%20youngest%20ever%20to%20play%20for%20the%20men%E2%80%99s%20senior%20team.%20He%20broke%20the%20record%20set%20by%20his%20World%20Cup%20squad-mate%2C%20Alishan%20Sharafu%2C%20of%2017%20years%20and%2044%20days.%3Cbr%3E%20%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EYoungest%20wicket-taker%3C%2Fstrong%3E%3Cbr%3EAfter%20taking%20the%20wicket%20of%20Bangladesh%E2%80%99s%20Litton%20Das%20on%20debut%20in%20Dubai%2C%20Aayan%20became%20the%20youngest%20male%20cricketer%20to%20take%20a%20wicket%20against%20a%20Full%20Member%20nation%20in%20a%20T20%20international.%3Cbr%3E%20%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EYoungest%20in%20T20%20World%20Cup%20history%3F%3C%2Fstrong%3E%3Cbr%3EAayan%20does%20not%20turn%2017%20until%20November%2015%20%E2%80%93%20which%20is%20two%20days%20after%20the%20T20%20World%20Cup%20final%20at%20the%20MCG.%20If%20he%20does%20play%20in%20the%20competition%2C%20he%20will%20be%20its%20youngest%20ever%20player.%20Pakistan%E2%80%99s%20Mohammed%20Amir%2C%20who%20was%2017%20years%20and%2055%20days%20when%20he%20played%20in%202009%2C%20currently%20holds%20the%20record.%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
MATCH INFO

CAF Champions League semi-finals first-leg fixtures

Tuesday:

Primeiro Agosto (ANG) v Esperance (TUN) (8pm UAE)
Al Ahly (EGY) v Entente Setif (ALG) (11PM)

Second legs:

October 23

Like a Fading Shadow

Antonio Muñoz Molina

Translated from the Spanish by Camilo A. Ramirez

Tuskar Rock Press (pp. 310)

THE BIO

Favourite author - Paulo Coelho 

Favourite holiday destination - Cuba 

New York Times or Jordan Times? NYT is a school and JT was my practice field

Role model - My Grandfather 

Dream interviewee - Che Guevara

The Saudi Cup race card

1 The Jockey Club Local Handicap (TB) 1,800m (Dirt) $500,000

2 The Riyadh Dirt Sprint (TB) 1,200m (D) $1.500,000

3 The 1351 Turf Sprint 1,351m (Turf) $1,000,000

4 The Saudi Derby (TB) 1600m (D) $800,000

5 The Neom Turf Cup (TB) 2,100m (T) $1,000,000

6 The Obaiya Arabian Classic (PB) 2,000m (D) $1,900,000

7 The Red Sea Turf Handicap (TB) 3,000m (T) $2,500,000

8 The Saudi Cup (TB) 1,800m (D) $20,000,000

POSSIBLE ENGLAND EURO 2020 SQUAD

Goalkeepers: Jordan Pickford, Nick Pope, Dean Henderson.
Defenders: Trent Alexander-Arnold, Kieran Trippier, Joe Gomez, John Stones, Harry Maguire, Tyrone Mings, Ben Chilwell, Fabian Delph.
Midfielders: Declan Rice, Harry Winks, Jordan Henderson, Ross Barkley, Mason Mount, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain.
Forwards: Harry Kane, Raheem Sterling, Marcus Rashford, Jadon Sancho, Tammy Abraham, Callum Hudson-Odoi.

Company%20Profile
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ECompany%20name%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20myZoi%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarted%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%202021%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFounders%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Syed%20Ali%2C%20Christian%20Buchholz%2C%20Shanawaz%20Rouf%2C%20Arsalan%20Siddiqui%2C%20Nabid%20Hassan%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20UAE%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ENumber%20of%20staff%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%2037%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestment%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Initial%20undisclosed%20funding%20from%20SC%20Ventures%3B%20second%20round%20of%20funding%20totalling%20%2414%20million%20from%20a%20consortium%20of%20SBI%2C%20a%20Japanese%20VC%20firm%2C%20and%20SC%20Venture%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
If you go

Flights

Emirates flies from Dubai to Phnom Penh with a stop in Yangon from Dh3,075, and Etihad flies from Abu Dhabi to Phnom Penh with its partner Bangkok Airlines from Dh2,763. These trips take about nine hours each and both include taxes. From there, a road transfer takes at least four hours; airlines including KC Airlines (www.kcairlines.com) offer quick connecting flights from Phnom Penh to Sihanoukville from about $100 (Dh367) return including taxes. Air Asia, Malindo Air and Malaysian Airlines fly direct from Kuala Lumpur to Sihanoukville from $54 each way. Next year, direct flights are due to launch between Bangkok and Sihanoukville, which will cut the journey time by a third.

The stay

Rooms at Alila Villas Koh Russey (www.alilahotels.com/ kohrussey) cost from $385 per night including taxes.

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Book%20Details
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The biog

Favourite film: The Notebook  

Favourite book: What I know for sure by Oprah Winfrey

Favourite quote: “Social equality is the only basis of human happiness” Nelson Madela.           Hometown: Emmen, The Netherlands

Favourite activities: Walking on the beach, eating at restaurants and spending time with friends

Job: Founder and Managing Director of Mawaheb from Beautiful Peopl

Updated: November 25, 2022, 10:15 AM