ABU SAIF, IRAQ // Iraqi troops worked to secure a strategic hilltop overlooking Mosul’s international airport and a nearby military base on Tuesday, fearing the ISIL extremist group, which still holds both facilities, may launch another wave of nighttime counterattacks.
The US-backed Iraqi forces advancing on western Mosul from the south have not seen the waves of car bombs that troops confronted when they moved into eastern Mosul late last year. But the latest battle, launched on Sunday, is still in its early stages.
As the militarised federal police stationed in the hilltop village of Abu Saif scanned a nearby cluster of houses for militants, they spotted around a dozen civilians waving white flags. The soldiers called out for them to approach.
“They’re scared,” said federal policeman Hashem Ali, adding that he has seen the extremists target fleeing civilians with sniper and mortar fire.
The troops expect to encounter far more civilians once they enter western Mosul, the more densely populated half of Iraq’s second largest city. Iraqi forces declared the half of the city stretching east of the Tigris River “fully liberated” last month after nearly three months of fierce fighting, but still occasionally come under attack there.
Since the new push for western Mosul began two days ago, Iraqi forces have retaken some 120 square kilometres south of the city, said Brigadier General Yahya Rasool, an Iraqi military spokesman.
ISIL mortar rounds hit Iraqi positions on Tuesday, and rockets struck the main staging base to the south, in Hamam Al Alil, which was captured last year. The extremists have also deployed car bombs south of Mosul, though not as many as in earlier stages of the four-month-old offensive. Four suicide car bombs struck Iraqi forces on Monday, and another five were destroyed by air strikes before hitting their targets, federal police Major General Saleh Nasr said.* Associated Press
How it works
1) The liquid nanoclay is a mixture of water and clay that aims to convert desert land to fertile ground
2) Instead of water draining straight through the sand, it apparently helps the soil retain water
3) One application is said to last five years
4) The cost of treatment per hectare (2.4 acres) of desert varies from $7,000 to $10,000 per hectare
Emergency
Director: Kangana Ranaut
Stars: Kangana Ranaut, Anupam Kher, Shreyas Talpade, Milind Soman, Mahima Chaudhry
Rating: 2/5
Cases of coronavirus in the GCC as of March 15
Saudi Arabia – 103 infected, 0 dead, 1 recovered
UAE – 86 infected, 0 dead, 23 recovered
Bahrain – 210 infected, 0 dead, 44 recovered
Kuwait – 104 infected, 0 dead, 5 recovered
Qatar – 337 infected, 0 dead, 4 recovered
Oman – 19 infected, 0 dead, 9 recovered
Formula Middle East Calendar (Formula Regional and Formula 4)
Round 1: January 17-19, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 2: January 22-23, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 3: February 7-9, Dubai Autodrome – Dubai
Round 4: February 14-16, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 5: February 25-27, Jeddah Corniche Circuit – Saudi Arabia
Specs
Price, base: Dhs850,000
Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
Transmission: Seven-speed automatic
Power: 591bhp @ 7,500rpm
Torque: 760Nm @ 3,000rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 11.3L / 100km
UPI facts
More than 2.2 million Indian tourists arrived in UAE in 2023
More than 3.5 million Indians reside in UAE
Indian tourists can make purchases in UAE using rupee accounts in India through QR-code-based UPI real-time payment systems
Indian residents in UAE can use their non-resident NRO and NRE accounts held in Indian banks linked to a UAE mobile number for UPI transactions
Europe’s rearming plan
- Suspend strict budget rules to allow member countries to step up defence spending
- Create new "instrument" providing €150 billion of loans to member countries for defence investment
- Use the existing EU budget to direct more funds towards defence-related investment
- Engage the bloc's European Investment Bank to drop limits on lending to defence firms
- Create a savings and investments union to help companies access capital
