‘I am the wali who presides over you ... If you see that I am right, assist me.” With these words, the leader of ISIL, Abu Bakr Al Baghdadi, declared that he had founded a new worldwide caliphate and would be known as the caliph Ibrahim.
Three years have passed to the day since Al Baghdadi ascended the steps of the Great Mosque of Al Nuri in Mosul to declare himself the global leader of Muslims. In that time, the brutality of ISIL’s rule has been shown for the world to see. But as the “caliphate” of ISIL comes to an end in Iraq, the threat from the ideas and politics that birthed ISIL remains.
Almost from the moment the “caliphate” was created, it was mocked, shunned and attacked by Muslims. Unfortunately, the thousands who flocked to fight for it from Europe, Africa and Asia were sufficient for it to expand, occupy land in both Syria and Iraq, rule over millions of people in two countries and inspire attacks across the world.
Now the group is on the run, besieged in Mosul and in its Syrian stronghold of Raqqa. Aware of the publicity value of the Al Nuri mosque, the militants blew it up rather than let the Iraqi army capture it and gloat. This latest act was only part of the brutality of the group. In the past three years, the world has watched with horror as ISIL has broadcast its mass killings, journalists have uncovered mass graves, and the suffering of those who lived under ISIL has been revealed. Even today, there are thousands still living under the yoke of the group. Those who have been brutalised, enslaved and injured will never forget what happened under this “caliphate”.
Yet this particular iteration of militancy will not be the last, not unless the conditions that gave rise to the group are tackled. Inside Iraq, the sectarianism of the Maliki government pushed some Sunnis to ISIL
in an ill-advised -- even disastrous -- attempt to seek protection".
In Syria, the brutality of the Assad regime accomplished a similar reaction.
More broadly, an extreme interpretation of Islamic teaching has given the straightforward political violence of ISIL a thin veneer of legitimacy – not enough for the majority of Muslims, but enough to convince angry and isolated young men from around the world to fight for a cause they barely understand.
The end of ISIL will draw to a close one of the worst chapters of the modern Middle East. But without careful guard, extremism could rise again in an unexpected way.
'Ashkal'
Director: Youssef Chebbi
Stars: Fatma Oussaifi and Mohamed Houcine Grayaa
Rating: 4/5
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COMPANY PROFILE
Company name: Letstango.com
Started: June 2013
Founder: Alex Tchablakian
Based: Dubai
Industry: e-commerce
Initial investment: Dh10 million
Investors: Self-funded
Total customers: 300,000 unique customers every month
The specs: 2018 Jaguar F-Type Convertible
Price, base / as tested: Dh283,080 / Dh318,465
Engine: 2.0-litre inline four-cylinder
Transmission: Eight-speed automatic
Power: 295hp @ 5,500rpm
Torque: 400Nm @ 1,500rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 7.2L / 100km
Company Profile
Company name: Hoopla
Date started: March 2023
Founder: Jacqueline Perrottet
Based: Dubai
Number of staff: 10
Investment stage: Pre-seed
Investment required: $500,000
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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)
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
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97% of Jewish-Americans are concerned about the rise in anti-Semitism
76% of US Jewish voters believe Donald Trump and his allies in the Republican Party are responsible for a rise in anti-Semitism
74% of American Jews agreed that “Trump and the Maga movement are a threat to Jews in America"
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3.30pm: Maiden (PA) Dh40,000 (D) 2,000m; Winner: Al Ajayib, Antonio Fresu, Eric Lemartinel
4pm: Handicap (PA) Dh40,000 (D) 1,700m; Winner: Ashtr, Abdul Aziz Al Balushi, Majed Al Jahouri
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Washmen Profile
Date Started: May 2015
Founders: Rami Shaar and Jad Halaoui
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: Laundry
Employees: 170
Funding: about $8m
Funders: Addventure, B&Y Partners, Clara Ventures, Cedar Mundi Partners, Henkel Ventures
Specs: 2024 McLaren Artura Spider
Engine: 3.0-litre twin-turbo V6 and electric motor
Max power: 700hp at 7,500rpm
Max torque: 720Nm at 2,250rpm
Transmission: Eight-speed dual-clutch auto
0-100km/h: 3.0sec
Top speed: 330kph
Price: From Dh1.14 million ($311,000)
On sale: Now
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Company Profile
Company name: Namara
Started: June 2022
Founder: Mohammed Alnamara
Based: Dubai
Sector: Microfinance
Current number of staff: 16
Investment stage: Series A
Investors: Family offices