The Afghan government has launched an investigation after carrying out an air strike on Taliban commanders that killed civilians.
Witnesses say that most of the at least 14 killed on Wednesday in Afghanistan’s western Herat province were women and children. A spokesman for US forces in Afghanistan said they had not taken part in Wednesday's air strikes.
While details are still being confirmed, officials say the final death toll is likely to be much higher.
Qari Muhammad Yousuf Ahmadi, a Taliban spokesman, said that two air strikes in Heart had killed eight civilians and wounded 12.
Two local officials confirmed there had been two rounds of air strikes but some officials placed the death toll much higher.
"Forty-five people had been killed so far in air strikes by security forces in the Kham Ziarat area, Taliban were among those killed," Ali Ahmad Faqir Yar, the governor of Adraskan District in the eastern Afghanistan province of Herat, said. It is unclear how many civilians and how many Taliban were killed although reports suggest at least six insurgents were among the dead.
Hundreds of people had gathered in Adraskan district to welcome home a former Taliban fighter freed from jail as part of a confidence-boosting measure between Kabul and the insurgents amid the wider US-Taliban peace effort.
However, government aircraft then pounded the gathering, Noor Rahmati, a witness who lost three members of his family in the air strike, told the Associated Press.
District elders and well-wishers had arrived to welcome Ghulam Nabi when the attack began, the witnesses said. Nabi said he nine-year-old son was wounded in the attack.
Local media quoted government sources saying that commanders had gathered in Adraskan to make plans to attack government installations and Herat city at the time of the air strike.
The government said they will share results of the investigation and said the military has a responsibility to protect lives.
"The results of the investigation will be shared with the public and the media. The National Defence and Security Forces have the responsibility to protect the lives and property of the people, in this regard, they use all the opportunities and facilities and will not spare any effort," the statement said.
The United States is winding back troops under an agreement with the Taliban struck in February, which was meant to pave the way to formal peace talks between the insurgents and the Afghan government. However, disagreement over the release of prisoners demanded by the Taliban and rising violence around the country have hampered progress, and talks have yet to start.
Nabi had apparently been released as part of the prisoner exchange aimed at moving intra-Afghan negotiations forward. The incident could hamper efforts to start talks at ending the decades long conflict.
US Peace envoy Zalmay Khalilzad tweeted a condemnation of the violence late on Wednesday and welcomed the government investigation.
“The last 24 hours have been very violent in Afghanistan with many losing their lives,” he said. “In Herat, photos and witness accounts suggest many civilians including children are among the victims of an Afghan air strike. We condemn the attack and support an investigation.”
The United Nations has been critical of the increasing death toll among civilians in Afghanistan, caused by both sides in the protracted conflict.
It came amid a number of other violent incidents in the country, which continues to see high levels of violence against civilians. In the first nine months of 2019 alone, at least 2,563 civilians were killed and 5,676 wounded.
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The specs
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Mercedes-AMG GT 63 S E Performance: the specs
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On sale: October to December
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Quick pearls of wisdom
Focus on gratitude: And do so deeply, he says. “Think of one to three things a day that you’re grateful for. It needs to be specific, too, don’t just say ‘air.’ Really think about it. If you’re grateful for, say, what your parents have done for you, that will motivate you to do more for the world.”
Know how to fight: Shetty married his wife, Radhi, three years ago (he met her in a meditation class before he went off and became a monk). He says they’ve had to learn to respect each other’s “fighting styles” – he’s a talk it-out-immediately person, while she needs space to think. “When you’re having an argument, remember, it’s not you against each other. It’s both of you against the problem. When you win, they lose. If you’re on a team you have to win together.”
The Vile
Starring: Bdoor Mohammad, Jasem Alkharraz, Iman Tarik, Sarah Taibah
Director: Majid Al Ansari
Rating: 4/5
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Mercer, the investment consulting arm of US services company Marsh & McLennan, expects its wealth division to at least double its assets under management (AUM) in the Middle East as wealth in the region continues to grow despite economic headwinds, a company official said.
Mercer Wealth, which globally has $160 billion in AUM, plans to boost its AUM in the region to $2-$3bn in the next 2-3 years from the present $1bn, said Yasir AbuShaban, a Dubai-based principal with Mercer Wealth.
“Within the next two to three years, we are looking at reaching $2 to $3 billion as a conservative estimate and we do see an opportunity to do so,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Mercer does not directly make investments, but allocates clients’ money they have discretion to, to professional asset managers. They also provide advice to clients.
“We have buying power. We can negotiate on their (client’s) behalf with asset managers to provide them lower fees than they otherwise would have to get on their own,” he added.
Mercer Wealth’s clients include sovereign wealth funds, family offices, and insurance companies among others.
From its office in Dubai, Mercer also looks after Africa, India and Turkey, where they also see opportunity for growth.
Wealth creation in Middle East and Africa (MEA) grew 8.5 per cent to $8.1 trillion last year from $7.5tn in 2015, higher than last year’s global average of 6 per cent and the second-highest growth in a region after Asia-Pacific which grew 9.9 per cent, according to consultancy Boston Consulting Group (BCG). In the region, where wealth grew just 1.9 per cent in 2015 compared with 2014, a pickup in oil prices has helped in wealth generation.
BCG is forecasting MEA wealth will rise to $12tn by 2021, growing at an annual average of 8 per cent.
Drivers of wealth generation in the region will be split evenly between new wealth creation and growth of performance of existing assets, according to BCG.
Another general trend in the region is clients’ looking for a comprehensive approach to investing, according to Mr AbuShaban.
“Institutional investors or some of the families are seeing a slowdown in the available capital they have to invest and in that sense they are looking at optimizing the way they manage their portfolios and making sure they are not investing haphazardly and different parts of their investment are working together,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Some clients also have a higher appetite for risk, given the low interest-rate environment that does not provide enough yield for some institutional investors. These clients are keen to invest in illiquid assets, such as private equity and infrastructure.
“What we have seen is a desire for higher returns in what has been a low-return environment specifically in various fixed income or bonds,” he said.
“In this environment, we have seen a de facto increase in the risk that clients are taking in things like illiquid investments, private equity investments, infrastructure and private debt, those kind of investments were higher illiquidity results in incrementally higher returns.”
The Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, one of the largest sovereign wealth funds, said in its 2016 report that has gradually increased its exposure in direct private equity and private credit transactions, mainly in Asian markets and especially in China and India. The authority’s private equity department focused on structured equities owing to “their defensive characteristics.”
Marathon results
Men:
1. Titus Ekiru(KEN) 2:06:13
2. Alphonce Simbu(TAN) 2:07:50
3. Reuben Kipyego(KEN) 2:08:25
4. Abel Kirui(KEN) 2:08:46
5. Felix Kemutai(KEN) 2:10:48
Women:
1. Judith Korir(KEN) 2:22:30
2. Eunice Chumba(BHR) 2:26:01
3. Immaculate Chemutai(UGA) 2:28:30
4. Abebech Bekele(ETH) 2:29:43
5. Aleksandra Morozova(RUS) 2:33:01
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Visit Abu Dhabi culinary team's top Emirati restaurants in Abu Dhabi
Yadoo’s House Restaurant & Cafe
For the karak and Yoodo's house platter with includes eggs, balaleet, khamir and chebab bread.
Golden Dallah
For the cappuccino, luqaimat and aseeda.
Al Mrzab Restaurant
For the shrimp murabian and Kuwaiti options including Kuwaiti machboos with kebab and spicy sauce.
Al Derwaza
For the fish hubul, regag bread, biryani and special seafood soup.
About Housecall
Date started: July 2020
Founders: Omar and Humaid Alzaabi
Based: Abu Dhabi
Sector: HealthTech
# of staff: 10
Funding to date: Self-funded
'Avengers: Infinity War'
Dir: The Russo Brothers
Starring: Chris Evans, Chris Pratt, Tom Holland, Robert Downey Junior, Scarlett Johansson, Elizabeth Olsen
Four stars
Living in...
This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.
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