One year ago today, ISIS was deprived of its last territorial stronghold in Baghouz, eastern Syria. The Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces declared victory over the extremists, who were vanquished with the help of their American allies and the global coalition to fight ISIS.
In addition to those who were killed, tens of thousands of ISIS supporters, mostly families of the fighters, as well as thousands of militants surrendered. The former were imprisoned and the latter kept in camps until they could be tried. It was supposed to be the beginning of a new era.
One year on, the threat of ISIS is yet to be fully eradicated in Syria and Iraq, and the children of militants are one year older, their plight remaining unchanged. Forced to live in squalid camps, they are missing out on their education and the opportunity to have a future. Those with non-Syrian parents have yet to be repatriated to their home countries.
These children have spent their young lives waiting in despair. Some, such as ISIS sympathiser Shamima Begum’s days-old child, have died of preventable disease. They cannot be punished for their parents’ crimes. In Al Hol camp alone, nearly 100,000 people, mostly women and children, are kept in unsanitary conditions. There are fears that parts of these camps lack any sort of administration.
SDF-run facilities are holding approximately 10,000 ISIS fighters, including 2,000 foreigners whose countries refuse to take them back, despite repeated calls from Kurdish authorities to do so. Kurdish Syrian officials have warned that they cannot look after such a large confined population. In October, Turkey launched an offensive on northern Syria that displaced more than 300,000 people and pushed the SDF out of their territorial holds on the border. The Kurdish-led group deployed its forces to the northern front, depleting staff that was guarding camps and prisons. More than one thousand militant fighters took advantage of the situation to escape captivity.
One year on from the victory at Baghouz, ISIS has been defeated and does not hold any territory, but it has yet to become a thing of the past
The SDF also does not have the means to put ISIS suspects on trial, despite warning that they will take action with or without Western help earlier this year. Western countries have failed to take responsibility for their citizens who have committed horrific crimes, and they have failed to aid the Kurdish authorities in giving them fair trials or detaining them efficiently. The SDF are left to bear this burden alone. Although they have sought an arrangement with Bashar Al Assad to escape the Turkish onslaught, there is still the possibility of reprisals from the Syrian regime as punishment for Kurds seeking autonomy.
Increased tensions between Syria’s warring sides create conditions that allow terrorists to thrive. A 2019 report from the US mission tasked to fight ISIS in Syria and Iraq has warned that the extremists are already regrouping.
One year on from the victory at Baghouz, ISIS has been defeated and does not hold any territory, but it has yet to become a thing of the past. Much remains to be done in the way of trying and repatriating fighters, rehabilitating members capable of showing true remorse and saving children whose only crime is to be born to extremist parents. The Kurdish authorities cannot succeed on their own in a country still ravaged by war. Nor is it fair to expect them to do so when thousands of ISIS fighters and sympathisers are foreigners who have been radicalised at home to lay waste abroad.
Cricket World Cup League 2
UAE results
Lost to Oman by eight runs
Beat Namibia by three wickets
Lost to Oman by 12 runs
Beat Namibia by 43 runs
UAE fixtures
Free admission. All fixtures broadcast live on icc.tv
Tuesday March 15, v PNG at Sharjah Cricket Stadium
Friday March 18, v Nepal at Dubai International Stadium
Saturday March 19, v PNG at Dubai International Stadium
Monday March 21, v Nepal at Dubai International Stadium
THE SPECS
Engine: 1.6-litre turbo
Transmission: six-speed automatic
Power: 165hp
Torque: 240Nm
Price: From Dh89,000 (Enjoy), Dh99,900 (Innovation)
On sale: Now
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MOUNTAINHEAD REVIEW
Starring: Ramy Youssef, Steve Carell, Jason Schwartzman
Director: Jesse Armstrong
Rating: 3.5/5
The specs
Engine: 3.0-litre six-cylinder turbo
Power: 398hp from 5,250rpm
Torque: 580Nm at 1,900-4,800rpm
Transmission: Eight-speed auto
Fuel economy, combined: 6.5L/100km
On sale: December
Price: From Dh330,000 (estimate)
Teaching in coronavirus times
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Company Profile
Name: Thndr
Started: 2019
Co-founders: Ahmad Hammouda and Seif Amr
Sector: FinTech
Headquarters: Egypt
UAE base: Hub71, Abu Dhabi
Current number of staff: More than 150
Funds raised: $22 million
RIDE%20ON
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Infiniti QX80 specs
Engine: twin-turbocharged 3.5-liter V6
Power: 450hp
Torque: 700Nm
Price: From Dh450,000, Autograph model from Dh510,000
Available: Now
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Akeed
Based: Muscat
Launch year: 2018
Number of employees: 40
Sector: Online food delivery
Funding: Raised $3.2m since inception
Volvo ES90 Specs
Engine: Electric single motor (96kW), twin motor (106kW) and twin motor performance (106kW)
Power: 333hp, 449hp, 680hp
Torque: 480Nm, 670Nm, 870Nm
On sale: Later in 2025 or early 2026, depending on region
Price: Exact regional pricing TBA
In-demand jobs and monthly salaries
- Technology expert in robotics and automation: Dh20,000 to Dh40,000
- Energy engineer: Dh25,000 to Dh30,000
- Production engineer: Dh30,000 to Dh40,000
- Data-driven supply chain management professional: Dh30,000 to Dh50,000
- HR leader: Dh40,000 to Dh60,000
- Engineering leader: Dh30,000 to Dh55,000
- Project manager: Dh55,000 to Dh65,000
- Senior reservoir engineer: Dh40,000 to Dh55,000
- Senior drilling engineer: Dh38,000 to Dh46,000
- Senior process engineer: Dh28,000 to Dh38,000
- Senior maintenance engineer: Dh22,000 to Dh34,000
- Field engineer: Dh6,500 to Dh7,500
- Field supervisor: Dh9,000 to Dh12,000
- Field operator: Dh5,000 to Dh7,000
RESULTS
6.30pm: Maiden Dh 165,000 1,600m
Winner: Superior, Connor Beasley (jockey), Ahmad bin Harmash (trainer)
7.05pm: Handicap Dh 185,000 2,000m
Winner: Tried And True, Pat Dobbs, Doug Watson
7.40pm: Maiden Dh 165,000 1,600m
Winner: Roy Orbison, Fernando Jara, Ali Rashid Al Raihe
8.15pm
Handicap Dh 190,000 1,400m
Winner: Taamol, Dane O’Neill, Ali Rashid Al Raihe
8.50pm
Handicap Dh 175,000 1,600m
Winner: Welford, Richard Mullen, Satish Seemar
9.25pm: Handicap Dh 175,000 1,200m
Winner: Lavaspin, Richard Mullen, Satish Seemar
10pm: Handicap Dh 165,000 1,600m
Winner: Untold Secret, Xavier Ziani, Sandeep Jadhav
Most sought after workplace benefits in the UAE
- Flexible work arrangements
- Pension support
- Mental well-being assistance
- Insurance coverage for optical, dental, alternative medicine, cancer screening
- Financial well-being incentives
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
Racecard
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BMW M5 specs
Engine: 4.4-litre twin-turbo V-8 petrol enging with additional electric motor
Power: 727hp
Torque: 1,000Nm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 10.6L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh650,000
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
Company profile
Date started: 2015
Founder: John Tsioris and Ioanna Angelidaki
Based: Dubai
Sector: Online grocery delivery
Staff: 200
Funding: Undisclosed, but investors include the Jabbar Internet Group and Venture Friends