Omar Shihan Al Alwani warned that revenge awaits the relatives of ISIL who try to come back home. Moadh Al Dulaimi / AFP
Omar Shihan Al Alwani warned that revenge awaits the relatives of ISIL who try to come back home. Moadh Al Dulaimi / AFP

ISIL family members threatened with revenge by fellow Anbaris



In Iraq's Sunni-dominated Anbar province, residents struggling to rebuild after years of ISIL rule are adamant: there will be no return for the families of the extremists.

Omar Shihan Al Alwani, who fought against the group, warned that revenge awaits the relatives of ISIL fighters who try to come back.

"Anbar is a tribal society. If someone's brother or father is killed, he takes blood revenge by killing someone from the murderer's tribe," Mr Alwani said.

The bearded 35-year-old wore a red-chequered headscarf as he sat in his reception room, two months since Iraq declared victory over ISIL.

"We do not want ISIL fighters to come back and start a spiral of revenge," he said.

"We're totally against that. If they come back then blood will flow and neither tribes nor military operations will be able to stop it."

That sentiment is a far cry from the support ISIL once enjoyed in the western desert region.

The radical group's predecessor, Al Qaeda in Iraq (AQI), emerged from Iraq's Sunni heartland in 2006 and was welcomed by many Anbaris, who saw it as offering protection against Shiite-dominated authorities in Baghdad.

They were finally kicked out by pro-government forces, but five years later in late 2013, tribal fighters that were allied with the group revolted against Baghdad. ISIL seized the chance to take over large areas of territory.

But many tribes turned against ISIL, especially as its brutality became apparent.

The group imposed a hardline interpretation of Islam, sending religious "police" to flog people in public and executing members of tribes who refused to pledge allegiance.

Today Anbar residents are still counting the cost of ISIL rule in blood and destruction. They insist they do not want to repeat the errors of the past.

"They are outcasts and society rejects them," said Khamis al-Dahal, 60, as he got his hair cut at a barbershop.

"The government is not going to force us to accept back people who killed men, women and children in Anbar."

Some take a more moderate line - but are still very wary.

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Read more:

Countries and companies converge on Kuwait City to meet Iraq's plea for funding

Iraq prepares for fresh anti ISIL push

Iraqi returnees surpass number of internally displaced for first time since 2013

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"We are not against them returning but the timing is bad and would risk provoking unrest and a return to bloodshed in the streets," said former tribal fighter Omar Ibrahim.

"They should be in a camp under the supervision of the Iraqi government and they should receive daily instruction on how to live together and to combat extremist ideologies."

Some are already living in camps.

Currently around 380 families of jihadists, women and children, are detained in two Anbar camps where conditions are harsh.

Late last year US advocacy group Refugees International reported that women and girls believed to be linked to ISIL jihadists had been sexually abused by camp guards.

Those who do leave often have nowhere to go.

In the city of Ramadi residents said that houses belonging to ISIL family members have been destroyed - reprisal for a similar tactic that Abu Bakr Al Baghdadi's men used against their enemies.

No one was willing to say who was responsible.

The city is still heavily scarred by fighting and airstrikes by a US-led coalition during a battle that saw it recaptured by government troops in early 2016.

Erfan Ali, Iraq representative for the UN Human Settlements Programme, said that over 8,000 homes are destroyed or badly damaged, as are some 1,200 in the city of Fallujah.

While ISIL's self-declared cross-border "caliphate" lies in tatters, many still fear Iraq's weak central government will not be able to prevent their return indefinitely.

Such is the fear that some residents have still not dared remove signs of the group's presence.

The graffiti remains daubed across the walls of their houses: "Property of the Islamic State".

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The specs

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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.” 

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.”

Need to know

Unlike other mobile wallets and payment apps, a unique feature of eWallet is that there is no need to have a bank account, credit or debit card to do digital payments.

Customers only need a valid Emirates ID and a working UAE mobile number to register for eWallet account.

TO A LAND UNKNOWN

Director: Mahdi Fleifel

Starring: Mahmoud Bakri, Aram Sabbah, Mohammad Alsurafa

Rating: 4.5/5

Business Insights
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  • SMEs with revenue below Dh3 million per annum can opt for transitional relief until 2026, treating them as having no taxable income. 
  • Larger entities have specific provisions for asset and liability movements, business restructuring, and handling foreign permanent establishments.
Disclaimer

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Stars: Cate Blanchett, Kevin Kline, Lesley Manville 

Rating: 4/5

Nayanthara: Beyond The Fairy Tale

Starring: Nayanthara, Vignesh Shivan, Radhika Sarathkumar, Nagarjuna Akkineni

Director: Amith Krishnan

Rating: 3.5/5

How to protect yourself when air quality drops

Install an air filter in your home.

Close your windows and turn on the AC.

Shower or bath after being outside.

Wear a face mask.

Stay indoors when conditions are particularly poor.

If driving, turn your engine off when stationary.

Electoral College Victory

Trump has so far secured 295 Electoral College votes, according to the Associated Press, exceeding the 270 needed to win. Only Nevada and Arizona remain to be called, and both swing states are leaning Republican. Trump swept all five remaining swing states, North Carolina, Georgia, Pennsylvania, Michigan and Wisconsin, sealing his path to victory and giving him a strong mandate. 

 

Popular Vote Tally

The count is ongoing, but Trump currently leads with nearly 51 per cent of the popular vote to Harris’s 47.6 per cent. Trump has over 72.2 million votes, while Harris trails with approximately 67.4 million.

COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Almnssa
Started: August 2020
Founder: Areej Selmi
Based: Gaza
Sectors: Internet, e-commerce
Investments: Grants/private funding
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If you go
Where to stay: Courtyard by Marriott Titusville Kennedy Space Centre has unparalleled views of the Indian River. Alligators can be spotted from hotel room balconies, as can several rocket launch sites. The hotel also boasts cool space-themed decor.

When to go: Florida is best experienced during the winter months, from November to May, before the humidity kicks in.

How to get there: Emirates currently flies from Dubai to Orlando five times a week.

Jawab Iteiqal
Director: Mohamed Sammy
Starring: Mohamed Ramadan, Ayad Nasaar, Mohamed Adel and Sabry Fawaz
2 stars

THE SPECS

Engine: 6.75-litre twin-turbocharged V12 petrol engine 

Power: 420kW

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Transmission: 8-speed automatic

Price: From Dh1,350,000

On sale: Available for preorder now

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Business Insights
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  • US domestic suppliers might benefit from higher prices, but overall oil consumption is expected to decrease due to elevated costs
The specs

Engine: Dual 180kW and 300kW front and rear motors

Power: 480kW

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The specs
Engine: 77.4kW all-wheel-drive dual motor
Power: 320bhp
Torque: 605Nm
Transmission: Single-speed automatic
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Wicked
Director: Jon M Chu
Stars: Cynthia Erivo, Ariana Grande, Jonathan Bailey
Rating: 4/5
The biog

Profession: Senior sports presenter and producer

Marital status: Single

Favourite book: Al Nabi by Jibran Khalil Jibran

Favourite food: Italian and Lebanese food

Favourite football player: Cristiano Ronaldo

Languages: Arabic, French, English, Portuguese and some Spanish

Website: www.liliane-tannoury.com

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