A Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces fighter at a damaged part of the defense wall of Gweiran Prison in Hassakeh. AP
A Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces fighter at a damaged part of the defense wall of Gweiran Prison in Hassakeh. AP
A Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces fighter at a damaged part of the defense wall of Gweiran Prison in Hassakeh. AP
A Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces fighter at a damaged part of the defense wall of Gweiran Prison in Hassakeh. AP

ISIS using children as human shields in Syria clashes, say Kurdish forces


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Kurdish forces locked down a Syrian city on Monday to trap ISIS fighters who attacked a prison there five days earlier, as the death toll from fierce battles inside and around the jail exceeded 150.

The Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) said militants were using hundreds of minors as human shields inside Ghwayran jail in the north-eastern city of Hassakeh. As many as 45,000 residents of the town have fled the fighting, the UN said.

Unicef, the UN children's' agency, called for the protection of about 850 minors detained inside the jail, some as young as 12, warning that they could be “harmed or forcibly recruited” by ISIS.

“As fighting continues, the risk for children increases, including to be harmed or forcibly recruited. Violence might also spread to other prisons, inside the camps and local communities,” Bo Viktor Nylund, Unicef's Syria representative, said in a statement.

“Children in the Ghwayran prison are children and have the right to access restorative justice procedures. We call for the release of children from prison,” he said, adding that detention for children should be a measure of last resort.

The SDF said its advances inside the prison where stymied by the use of hundreds of minors as human shields by ISIS members holed up in a dormitory.

It said the adolescents, who had been detained because of suspected links to the terrorist organisation, were being kept in a “rehabilitation centre” in the jail.

The SDF has been holding thousands of suspected ISIS members in Ghwayran and other detention centres since ISIS was defeated in Syria in 2019. Many of them came to join ISIS from other countries in the region and the West.

Letta Tayler, a counterterrorism lead at Human Rights Watch, said the standoff was an “entirely predictable and avoidable” consequence of countries outsourcing responsibility for their citizens.

“If any of these boys die, some of their blood will be on their home countries’ hands,” she said.

More than 100 ISIS fighters stormed Ghwayran prison late on Thursday, using suicide lorry bombs and heavy weapons, setting off days of clashes inside the jail and in the surrounding neighbourhoods.

The fighting died down on Sunday evening as the US-backed SDF consolidated control over areas around the jail and declared the entire city locked down for a week.

“To prevent terrorist cells from escaping, the Kurdish administration in north-east Syria announces a complete lockdown on areas inside and outside Hassakeh city for a period of seven days starting on January 24,” the authorities said.

Businesses were ordered to close with the exception of essential services, such as clinics, bakeries and fuel distribution centres.

Fighters belonging to the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces cross a street during clashes with ISIS in the north-eastern city of Hassakeh on Sunday. Photo: AFP
Fighters belonging to the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces cross a street during clashes with ISIS in the north-eastern city of Hassakeh on Sunday. Photo: AFP

Civilians were sheltering in their homes on Monday as Kurdish fighters backed by the US-led coalition combed the area for militants in hiding, said an AFP correspondent.

The SDF set up several checkpoints at the entrances to Hassakeh, with even tighter security measures imposed in neighbourhoods adjacent to the jail, the correspondent said.

The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said on Monday that a precarious lull in fighting continued to hold as some militants refused to surrender.

It raised the death toll from the clashes to 154, since Thursday, including 102 militants, 45 Kurdish fighters and seven civilians.

In other parts of Syria's north-east region under the Kurdish administration's control, a 12-hour overnight curfew was set to go into force from 6pm on Monday.

COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Akeed

Based: Muscat

Launch year: 2018

Number of employees: 40

Sector: Online food delivery

Funding: Raised $3.2m since inception 

Tips for used car buyers
  • Choose cars with GCC specifications
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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

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Stage 4 Dubai to Hatta, 197 km, Road race.

Overall leader Primoz Roglic SLO (Team Jumbo - Visma)

Stage winners: 1. Caleb Ewan AUS (Lotto - Soudal) 2. Matteo Moschetti ITA (Trek - Segafredo) 3. Primoz Roglic SLO (Team Jumbo - Visma)

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Five expert hiking tips
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Company name: baraka
Started: July 2020
Founders: Feras Jalbout and Kunal Taneja
Based: Dubai and Bahrain
Sector: FinTech
Initial investment: $150,000
Current staff: 12
Stage: Pre-seed capital raising of $1 million
Investors: Class 5 Global, FJ Labs, IMO Ventures, The Community Fund, VentureSouq, Fox Ventures, Dr Abdulla Elyas (private investment)

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The internal combustion engine is facing a watershed moment – major manufacturer Volvo is to stop producing petroleum-powered vehicles by 2021 and countries in Europe, including the UK, have vowed to ban their sale before 2040. The National takes a look at the story of one of the most successful technologies of the last 100 years and how it has impacted life in the UAE.

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Types of policy

Term life insurance: this is the cheapest and most-popular form of life cover. You pay a regular monthly premium for a pre-agreed period, typically anything between five and 25 years, or possibly longer. If you die within that time, the policy will pay a cash lump sum, which is typically tax-free even outside the UAE. If you die after the policy ends, you do not get anything in return. There is no cash-in value at any time. Once you stop paying premiums, cover stops.

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Critical illness cover: this pays a cash lump sum if you suffer from a serious illness such as cancer, heart disease or stroke. Some policies cover as many as 50 different illnesses, although cancer triggers by far the most claims. The payout is designed to cover major financial responsibilities such as a mortgage or children’s education fees if you fall ill and are unable to work. It is cost effective to combine it with life insurance, with the policy paying out once if you either die or suffer a serious illness.

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6.30pm: Maiden Dh165,000 2,000m - Winner: Powderhouse, Sam Hitchcott (jockey), Doug Watson (trainer)

7.05pm: Handicap Dh165,000 2,200m - Winner: Heraldic, Richard Mullen, Satish Seemar

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10pm: Handicap Dh190,000 1,400m - Winner: Rodaini, Connor Beasley, Ahmed bin Harmash

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Engine: 4.0-litre V8 twin-turbocharged and three electric motors

Power: Combined output 920hp

Torque: 730Nm at 4,000-7,000rpm

Transmission: 8-speed dual-clutch automatic

Fuel consumption: 11.2L/100km

On sale: Now, deliveries expected later in 2025

Price: expected to start at Dh1,432,000

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Dubai launched the pilot phase of its real estate tokenisation project last month.

The initiative focuses on converting real estate assets into digital tokens recorded on blockchain technology and helps in streamlining the process of buying, selling and investing, the Dubai Land Department said.

Dubai’s real estate tokenisation market is projected to reach Dh60 billion ($16.33 billion) by 2033, representing 7 per cent of the emirate’s total property transactions, according to the DLD.

Karwaan

Producer: Ronnie Screwvala

Director: Akarsh Khurana

Starring: Irrfan Khan, Dulquer Salmaan, Mithila Palkar

Rating: 4/5

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A Long Way Home by Peter Carey
Faber & Faber

What's in the deal?

Agreement aims to boost trade by £25.5bn a year in the long run, compared with a total of £42.6bn in 2024

India will slash levies on medical devices, machinery, cosmetics, soft drinks and lamb.

India will also cut automotive tariffs to 10% under a quota from over 100% currently.

Indian employees in the UK will receive three years exemption from social security payments

India expects 99% of exports to benefit from zero duty, raising opportunities for textiles, marine products, footwear and jewellery

Updated: January 24, 2022, 2:53 PM