Survivors of the Houthi strike on an Abu Dhabi oil storage plant have described the moment the ground shook and fire filled the air, peppering their bodies with shrapnel and killing three colleagues.
Two civilian oil workers, one speaking from his hospital bed, gave The National a first-hand account of the blast on Monday when projectiles struck Adnoc's oil terminal in Mussaffah.
The attack on the civilian facility has been condemned by world leaders and diplomatic efforts are under way to add Yemen's Houthi group to the US list of terrorist groups.
Ramjan Mohamed Rath from India and Saeed Noor Jabar Khan from Pakistan recall the deafening explosion.
“It was a dangerous, frightening, terrifying sound. I have never heard such a loud sound in my life,” Mr Rath told The National from his home in Abu Dhabi, where he recovering after receiving 10 stitches in his left leg.
It was as if the ground disappeared from under my feet. Even now, I hear it in my ear
Ramjan Mohamed Rath
“It was as if the ground disappeared from under my feet. God saved me. Even now, I hear it in my ear.
“If someone near me says something too loud, then I get scared.”
He is among six people injured in the Houthi attack that led to condemnation from global leaders.
Three of his co-workers, who have not yet been named, died in the attack. Their bodies were repatriated on Wednesday and Thursday.
Mr Rath was standing near his lorry completing paperwork when the blast occurred.
“I turned around and there was fire on trucks and fire on the ground,” said the 24-year-old from a small village in Rajasthan, western India.
“My truck was also on fire. People tried to put out the flames but it was not possible. It all happened in a minute.
“I felt something hit my leg and saw a lot of blood. I didn’t immediately realise I was wounded.”
Mr Khan saw a flash and felt the heat as flying debris shot into his shoulder — narrowly missing an artery between his arm and chest.
Doctors removed shrapnel from his left shoulder and said he would have been killed if the fragment had punctured a centimetre in another direction.
Speaking to The National from his hospital bed, the 33-year-old said he was boarding his lorry when the explosion occurred.
“I hadn’t even fully entered the truck and was speaking to my friend when the fire happened,” he said.
“I didn’t even realise that I was injured until I was outside and saw blood on my shirt.”
Mr Khan is from the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province of Pakistan and has worked in the UAE for the past 10 years.
The father of three said his family is still in shock
“They still don’t believe that I escaped the blast. I feel so lucky and thank God to have escaped the face of death,” Mr Khan said.
Both men work for companies that transport fuel from the Mussaffah oil storage plant outside Abu Dhabi city to depots across the country.
Mr Rath, who has worked in Abu Dhabi for four years, has not yet told his family in India about his lucky escape.
He said his four older sisters and elderly parents would be distraught to hear he was so close to an explosion.
“They will be too scared. I don’t have the courage to tell them,” Mr Rath said.
The terror attack has shattered the peaceful life the men once knew.
“I feel sad this has happened. We were happy and working before this, and now three people have died and people have got injured,” Mr Rath said.
“We are happy God has saved us but I’m sad also.
“We always think of the UAE as a peaceful country and I feel very said that this happened here. My truck, my new truck that was my livelihood, has burnt down and for that, I feel sad.
“I feel sad for the families of the people who died and how scared they must be.”
The UAE Government and Adnoc have committed to maintaining support for all families who suffered from the attack.
Ten tax points to be aware of in 2026
1. Domestic VAT refund amendments: request your refund within five years
If a business does not apply for the refund on time, they lose their credit.
2. E-invoicing in the UAE
Businesses should continue preparing for the implementation of e-invoicing in the UAE, with 2026 a preparation and transition period ahead of phased mandatory adoption.
3. More tax audits
Tax authorities are increasingly using data already available across multiple filings to identify audit risks.
4. More beneficial VAT and excise tax penalty regime
Tax disputes are expected to become more frequent and more structured, with clearer administrative objection and appeal processes. The UAE has adopted a new penalty regime for VAT and excise disputes, which now mirrors the penalty regime for corporate tax.
5. Greater emphasis on statutory audit
There is a greater need for the accuracy of financial statements. The International Financial Reporting Standards standards need to be strictly adhered to and, as a result, the quality of the audits will need to increase.
6. Further transfer pricing enforcement
Transfer pricing enforcement, which refers to the practice of establishing prices for internal transactions between related entities, is expected to broaden in scope. The UAE will shortly open the possibility to negotiate advance pricing agreements, or essentially rulings for transfer pricing purposes.
7. Limited time periods for audits
Recent amendments also introduce a default five-year limitation period for tax audits and assessments, subject to specific statutory exceptions. While the standard audit and assessment period is five years, this may be extended to up to 15 years in cases involving fraud or tax evasion.
8. Pillar 2 implementation
Many multinational groups will begin to feel the practical effect of the Domestic Minimum Top-Up Tax (DMTT), the UAE's implementation of the OECD’s global minimum tax under Pillar 2. While the rules apply for financial years starting on or after January 1, 2025, it is 2026 that marks the transition to an operational phase.
9. Reduced compliance obligations for imported goods and services
Businesses that apply the reverse-charge mechanism for VAT purposes in the UAE may benefit from reduced compliance obligations.
10. Substance and CbC reporting focus
Tax authorities are expected to continue strengthening the enforcement of economic substance and Country-by-Country (CbC) reporting frameworks. In the UAE, these regimes are increasingly being used as risk-assessment tools, providing tax authorities with a comprehensive view of multinational groups’ global footprints and enabling them to assess whether profits are aligned with real economic activity.
Contributed by Thomas Vanhee and Hend Rashwan, Aurifer
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CHINESE GRAND PRIX STARTING GRID
1st row
Sebastian Vettel (Ferrari)
Kimi Raikkonen (Ferrari)
2nd row
Valtteri Bottas (Mercedes-GP)
Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes-GP)
3rd row
Max Verstappen (Red Bull Racing)
Daniel Ricciardo (Red Bull Racing)
4th row
Nico Hulkenberg (Renault)
Sergio Perez (Force India)
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Carlos Sainz Jr (Renault)
Romain Grosjean (Haas)
6th row
Kevin Magnussen (Haas)
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Fernando Alonso (McLaren)
Stoffel Vandoorne (McLaren)
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Brendon Hartley (Toro Rosso)
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Pierre Gasly (Toro Rosso)
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10th row
Charles Leclerc (Sauber)
arcus Ericsson (Sauber)
Fund-raising tips for start-ups
Develop an innovative business concept
Have the ability to differentiate yourself from competitors
Put in place a business continuity plan after Covid-19
Prepare for the worst-case scenario (further lockdowns, long wait for a vaccine, etc.)
Have enough cash to stay afloat for the next 12 to 18 months
Be creative and innovative to reduce expenses
Be prepared to use Covid-19 as an opportunity for your business
* Tips from Jassim Al Marzooqi and Walid Hanna
The biog
Born: High Wycombe, England
Favourite vehicle: One with solid axels
Favourite camping spot: Anywhere I can get to.
Favourite road trip: My first trip to Kazakhstan-Kyrgyzstan. The desert they have over there is different and the language made it a bit more challenging.
Favourite spot in the UAE: Al Dhafra. It’s unique, natural, inaccessible, unspoilt.
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%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ECreator%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Ramez%20Galal%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarring%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Ramez%20Galal%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EStreaming%20on%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EMBC%20Shahid%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E2.5%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
The biog
Favourite car: Ferrari
Likes the colour: Black
Best movie: Avatar
Academic qualifications: Bachelor’s degree in media production from the Higher Colleges of Technology and diploma in production from the New York Film Academy
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The specs: 2018 Mercedes-AMG C63 S Cabriolet
Price, base: Dh429,090
Engine 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8
Transmission Seven-speed automatic
Power 510hp @ 5,500rpm
Torque 700Nm @ 1,750rpm
Fuel economy, combined 9.2L / 100km
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