Salafis Are Up In Arms Against Gender-Neutral Initiatives In Educational Institutions In Kerala
New
Age Islam News Bureau
25
January 2022
Image
used for representational purpose only
-----
• Jamiat
Ulama-I-Hind moves SC, Seeks Hearing Of 2020 PIL On Fake News Regarding
Tablighi Congregation As A Reason For The Spread Of Covid-19
• Afghan
Women Activists Meet With Islamic Emirate Of Afghanistan Delegation In Oslo
Talks
• Nusrat
Ghani: Ex-Minister's Claims Reignite Rows Over Tories And Islam
• Pakistan
Govt Flayed In Senate By Opposition For Appeasing Terrorists, Letting Taliban
Speak On Its Behalf
India
• Madhya
Pradesh: Muslim Man Donates Land For Samadhi Of Jain Monk
• Anti-CAA
Protest Sites Were Deliberately Picked Close To 25 Mosques: Prosecution Opposing
Umar Bail Plea
• Assembly
elections: 4 of AIMIM’s 27 UP tickets so far given to Hindus
• Man
beaten for travelling with Hindu woman booked under anti-conversion law
--------
South Asia
• Islamic
Emirate Meets With Envoys of 7 Nations, EU in Oslo
• Islamic
Emirate: Talks with Afghan Civil Society 'Constructive'
• Positive
step: Taliban on India-Pakistan effort to supply 50,000 MT of wheat to
Afghanistan
• Acting
FM Amir Khan Motaqi praises Oslo talks as achievement
• Money
injection continues into Afghanistan’s economy, $32 million arrived in Kabul
--------
Europe
• Upper
class Britons 'more likely' to be Islamophobic, study finds
• Head
of Conservative Muslim Forum says Boris Johnson must explain why he sacked
Nusrat Ghani
• Report
Finds Muslim Communities Among Most Discriminated Against In UK
• Australian
teenager begs for help from inside Syrian prison at centre of dramatic battle
between Islamic State and Kurdish fighters
--------
Pakistan
• Lahore
Court Acquits Man Of Blasphemy Charge After 10 Years
• Winds
Of Change In Pakistan As PM Imran Khan Loses Support Of Partymen, Army: Report
• 10
Pakistanis held in Paris for money laundering, human trafficking, using fake
documents
• Human
rights complaint cell set up in Islamabad
--------
Arab World
• Syrian
Kurds Say Islamic State Militants Surrender After Prison Raid
• Lebanon
depression ‘orchestrated by the country’s elite’: World Bank
• Lebanon’s
former PM Hariri declares boycotting elections, stepping away from politics
• Syrian
prison battle death toll tops 150, concern over fate of minors
• Saudi
Arabia, Romania sign defence deal renewing commitment to peace
• UAE
reaffirms it will respond to Yemen’s Houthi attacks against it: Foreign
ministry
• UAE
cooperated closely with US to repel second Houthi attack on Abu Dhabi:
Ambassador
• Bomb
explosion kills 3 soldiers in Iraq’s Kirkuk
--------
Mideast
• Hamas:
Palestinian Resistance Will Eventually Lift Israel’s Siege On Gaza
• Iran:
48k Civilians Killed under Pretext of US Fight against Terrorism
• Stone-throwing
Israeli settlers attack Palestinian village
• Iran
could hold direct talks with US to reach ‘good’ nuclear deal: FM
• Iran
says it rules out US prisoner release as nuclear talks precondition
• Palestinian
PM warns of escalating Israeli settlers’ violence against Palestinians in West
Bank
• Saudi
warplanes heavily bomb Yemeni cities amid internet blackout
--------
Africa
• Morocco
Wages "Soft" War Against Islamic Extremism In Prisons
• Taraba
State Governor Ishaku Warns Muslim Council Against Attempt To Cause Religious
Tension
• Over
30 killed in fresh communal violence in South Sudan
• Bomb
blast kills at least 6 in Somalia
• Algeria’s
leader in Egypt for talks on Libya, Ethiopia dam
• Libya
parliament committee urges change of PM
• Burkina
Faso army says it has deposed president, suspended constitution
--------
Southeast Asia
• Selangor
Islamic Religious Council Appeals To Reinstate 3 Children’s Unilateral
Conversion To Islam
• Involvement
in politics: Education Ministry reminds teachers not to violate conditions,
neglect duty as educators
• Surakarta
to commence construction of Islamic Centre next year
• Johor
PAS says looking to discuss understanding with Umno, BN ahead of state polls
--------
North America
• U.S.
Troops Join Assault On Prison In Syria Where Islamic State Holds Hostage
Hundreds Of Boys
• The
unlikely story of America’s highest ranking Muslim soldier and TikTok favourit
• Islamic
State prison break reinforces value of US military protection for Syria's Kurds
• US
‘prepared to meet directly’ and ‘urgently’ with Iran on nuclear issue
• US
uses missile interceptors to thwart Houthi attack on UAE
• UN
says 1,000 tents in NW Syria collapsed, damaged by snow
Compiled
by New Age Islam News Bureau
URL: https://www.newageislam.com/islamic-world-news/salafis-gender-neutral-kerala/d/126237
--------
Salafis
Are Up In Arms Against Gender-Neutral Initiatives In Educational Institutions
In Kerala
Image
used for representational purpose only
-----
Jan
23, 20
KOCHI:
Salafi groups, which represent a large section of Muslim population in the
state, are up in arms against various gender-neutral initiatives in government
educational institutions in the state, alleging that the move is part of
‘global agenda to develop a liberal society that challenges moral values’.
It is
learnt that different Salafi organizations in the state have decided to
strongly oppose the gender clubs to come up in schools and colleges under the
Kudumbashree mission and also to oppose the move of many government
institutions to introduce gender-neutral uniforms.
A
professional conference organized by Mujahid Students Movement (MSM), the
students’ wing of the official faction of Kerala Nadvathul Mujahideen (KNM), at
Aluva last week released a book which calls to oppose the gender-neutral
initiatives in the state. The book observes that the gender-neutral uniforms
will destroy the general concept that sex between people of two opposite gender
is a normal thing and it will lead to the destruction of entire humanity. It
also says the introduction of common uniforms for girls and boys is against
nature and it will challenge the mental and biological identity of a person.
Another major faction of Salafis, the Markazudawa wing of KNM have also decided
to strongly oppose the gender-neutral initiatives across the state. On,
Thursday, Wisdom Islamic Organisation, another major Mujahid-Salafi splinter
group also came up strongly against the gender clubs in educational
institutions, alleging that the gender clubs are part of an agenda to “impose
an ideology of a minority who wants free sex on the vast minority who wants to
remain morally viable”.
Recently
a group of people under the banner of Muslim coordination committe strong
protested when Government higher secondary school, Balussery in Kozhikode,
introduced gender-neutral uniform.
The
Muslim Students Federation (MSF), affiliated to Indian Union Muslim League
(IUML), too were among those who protested.
AI
Majeed, state general secretary of KNM, said that the organization will go to
any extent to oppose gender clubs and gender-neutral initiatives, including
common uniforms for girls and boys in colleges and schools. “We cannot be mute
spectators. We will oppose them strongly,” he said.
A
statement issued by T K Asharf, general secretary of Wisdom Islamic
Organisation, said the proposal to form gender clubs in schools and colleges
can only be seen as a deliberate move aiming to destroy male-female identities.
Gender clubs are pushing the new generation towards gender dysphoria, he said.
“The gender neutral uniform brought to Balussery School was a test dose of this
move. Authorities opposed the protest against that uniform with the police
force. Kudumbashree also promotes the same agenda by distributing mixed
male-female posters under the caption ‘Indivisible World’ on campuses,” he
said.
We
want gender justice, not gender equality. Those who believe in moral values
cannot embrace a liberal culture that confuses men and women. Kudumbashrees
should not cause family breakdown, he added.
Hussain
Madavur, vice-president of KNM (Markazudawa), said that the organization cannot
agree with any gender-neutral initiatives, including gender clubs.
Source:
Times Of India
Please
click the following URL to read the text of the original story:
--------
Jamiat
Ulama-I-Hind moves SC, Seeks Hearing Of 2020 PIL On Fake News Regarding
Tablighi Congregation As A Reason For The Spread Of Covid-19
Jan
24, 2022
NEW
DELHI: A Muslim organisation on Monday moved the Supreme Court seeking a final
hearing of its 2020 PIL which had sought a direction to the Centre to stop the
dissemination of fake news and strict action against a section of media for
allegedly “spreading communal hatred” by portraying Tablighi Jamaat
congregation as a reason for the spread of Covid-19.
Jamiat
Ulama-I-Hind, on whose plea the apex court has issued notices to the Centre and
others including the Press Council of India in May 2020, has sought an urgent
hearing of its plea in the backdrop of upcoming assembly polls in five states.
“It
is submitted that the present matter has assumed particular importance because
elections to the Legislative Assemblies of five states are being conducted
presently. The dissemination of hate speech during electoral campaigns poses a
grave threat to the peace and harmony in the country. The
Applicants/Petitioners humbly submit that this court needs to give specific
directions to control the dissemination of fake news and hate speeches and the
matter needs to be heard urgently,” said the plea which was filed through
lawyer Ejaz Maqbool.
The
dissemination of fake news and hate speech poses a grave danger to the lives
and liberties of a large section of citizens, it said, adding that the PIL was
last listed for hearing on September 02, last year and since then, it has not
come up for hearing.
“The
date on the case status on the website keeps changing constantly. The present
status for the listing of the matter as per the website of this court is
February 9,” it said.
The
PIL had sought direction to the Central Government to stop the dissemination of
fake news and take strict action against the sections of the media spreading
bigotry and communal hatred concerning the Nizamuddin Markaz issue.
It
had also sought direction to the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting to
identify and take strict action against sections of the media that were
communalising the Nizamuddin Markaz issue.
“Issue
a writ in the nature of mandamus, or any other writ, order or direction holding
the Cable Television Network (Amendment) Rules, 2021 amending the Cable
Television Network Rules, 1994 as unconstitutional and thereby struck down,” it
said.
On
September 2 last year, a bench headed by CJI N V Ramana had said that a section
of media gives communal colour to news bringing a bad name to the country.
Prior
to this, it, while issuing the notice on the PIL, had directed that the News
Broadcasters Association (NBA) be also made a party to the plea.
As
per the media reports, at least 9,000 people had participated in the religious
gathering at Tablighi Jamaat's headquarters in Nizamuddin West in 2020 and the
congregation became a key source for the spread of Covid-19 in India as many of
the participants had traveled to various parts of the country for missionary
works.
Source:
Times Of India
Please
click the following URL to read the text of the original story:
--------
Afghan
Women Activists Meet With Islamic Emirate Of Afghanistan Delegation In Oslo
Talks
Fowzia
Kofee/Oslo Talks
-----
January
25, 2022
Representatives
of Afghan women's rights in a meeting with the delegation of the Islamic
Emirate on Sunday in Oslo called for girls’ schools to be reopened and for the
inclusion of women in the government.
The
closed-door meeting was attended by six women's rights defenders, seven
politicians and a high-profile journalist as well as the 15-member delegation
of the Islamic Emirate.
The women
representatives who attended the summit included Mahbooba Saraj, Huda Khamosh,
Gul Ghotai Jasor, Masouda Karokhel, Shah Gul Rezai and Jamila Afghan.
During
her speech at the meeting, Huda Khamosh called on the Islamic Emirate to
release the women protesters who were allegedly detained by the current Afghan
government.
She
presented the participants with a proposal formed by the Afghan civil society
community and women’s rights activists.
Khamosh
urged the UN to monitor the human rights situation in Afghanistan.
The
proposal of the women’s representatives in Oslo are as follows:
“Formation
of an independent council by the UN to monitor the human rights status in
Afghanistan. Formation of a roadmap for resolving the political issues via the
people. Respecting the rights of citizens, particularly the right to work, to
receive an education, and to enjoy freedom of speech. The Islamic Emirate is
committed to the constitution.”
“Some
important matters including human rights, women’s rights and problems that
exist in the private sector were discussed,” said Nazifa Jalali, a women’s
rights defender.
The
US special envoy for Afghanistan Thomas West tweeted from Oslo, saying he
welcomed Norway's taking the initiative to hold a meeting between the Islamic
Emirate delegation and the Afghan civil society leaders.
“Welcome
our hosts' initiative to bring Afghan civil society and Taliban together for
dialogue. Civil society leaders are the backbone of healthy and prosperous
economies and societies," he said.
The
women’s rights and human rights defenders praised the Oslo conference and
called to convene face-to-face meetings between the Islamic Emirate and civil
society members inside the country.
“These
meetings should be meaningful and with a clear aim. The participation of all
political and social parties and those who suffered when the Islamic Emirate
came to power should be emphasized,” said Fawzia Koofi, leader of Hezb-e-Mawj
Tahawol.
The
Afghan women’s rights defenders hoped the Oslo summit would be effective in
ensuring women’s rights.
“This
is a positive step as the representatives of women are invited to the summit
while women are sidelined in Afghanistan,” said Monisa, a women’s rights
activist.
The
Sunday summit of Oslo between the Islamic Emirate delegation and the civil
community’s representatives came days after two female protestors went missing
in Kabul.
Source:
Tolo News
Please
click the following URL to read the text of the original story:
https://tolonews.com/afghanistan-176440
--------
Nusrat
Ghani: Ex-Minister's Claims Reignite Rows Over Tories And Islam
Tory
MP Nusrat Ghani
-----
January
25, 2022
Tory
MP Nusrat Ghani's allegations have reignited a long-running row about the
Conservative Party's approach to what's often called "Islamophobia".
Almost
four years ago, the then-chairman of the Conservative Muslim Forum, Mohammed
Amin, broke ranks and claimed the party was failing to take decisive action
against anti-Muslim sentiment for fear of the political consequences.
He
was later expelled from his role and joined the Lib Dems - but his was not the
only critical voice.
Baroness
Warsi, a former Tory party chair and cabinet minister, has spoken of being
"ashamed" of her party's approach to what she's repeatedly described
as institutional racism.
In
the past few years, specific instances have been raised - one of the most
high-profile being Boris Johnson's comments from 2018, in which he compared
women wearing burkas to letterboxes or bank robbers.
There
have also been a number of allegations about party representatives and members
making discriminatory comments or sharing offensive material online.
PM
orders inquiry into 'Muslimness' sacking claim
Report
says PM burka remark suggests insensitivity
But
beyond the circumstances of any individual case, the wider question has been
about the way the party has responded to such claims.
Critics
say there's been an unwillingness within senior ranks to recognise the severity
of the issue or to tackle it head on, which they claim has allowed anti-Muslim
sentiment to go unchecked too often.
That's
something the Conservative Party has consistently denied, saying it's always
acted swiftly and decisively when allegations have been raised, and doesn't
tolerate any prejudice or discrimination.
Singh
inquiry
Last
spring, an inquiry into the issue, established by Mr Johnson and led by
academic Prof Swaran Singh, found there was discrimination and anti-Muslim
sentiment within the Conservative Party, but claims of institutional racism
were not borne out.
It
did criticise the party's complaints process, and Prof Singh said it should
make "uncomfortable reading".
Now
the issue has come back to the fore - just as the party is already riven with
internal struggles.
The
severity of Nusrat Ghani's claim - that her Muslim faith was given as a reason
for her sacking as a minister in 2020 - adds to the pressure piling on the
prime minister at the start of what could be a pivotal week for his leadership.
Her
accusations have been denied by the Chief Whip Mark Spencer, who said they were
"completely false".
There
were already questions about internal party management, specifically claims -
denied by Downing Street - of undue pressure on MPs that amounted to
intimidation, or threats to withdraw constituency funding.
Accusations
and denials of the most serious nature are being heard in public, which only
serves to highlight the deepening tensions within the Tory ranks.
The
prime minister has said he takes Ms Ghani's claims "extremely
seriously", and has ordered a Cabinet Office inquiry.
But
already there are calls - including from the Muslim Council of Britain - for
the Equality and Human Rights Commission to step in.
The
watchdog says it will consider the findings from the Cabinet Office inquiry, and
does not rule out using its legal powers if it is not satisfied with the
party's progress towards implementing the recommendations arising from Prof
Singh's review.
Some
in the Conservative Party had hoped Prof Singh's investigation might have drawn
a line under what has been a damaging issue; the report produced a series of
recommendations that the party says its committed to delivering.
There
are others who still believe there's been a failure to adequately address
anti-Muslim sentiment from the top of the party down.
The
latest allegations, which are now subject to an investigation, have once again
shone a spotlight on the way the Conservative Party handles claims of
Islamophobia, and it seems it's an issue that's far from resolved.
Source:
BBC News
Please
click the following URL to read the text of the original story:
https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-politics-60118044
--------
Pakistan
Govt Flayed In Senate By Opposition For Appeasing Terrorists, Letting Taliban
Speak On Its Behalf
This
combination photo shows PPP Senator Sherry Rehman (L), Interior Minister Sheikh
Rashid Ahmed (C) and JI Senator Mushtaq Ahmad (R). — Photo via Senate of
Pakistan Facebook
-----
Iftikhar
A. Khan
January
25, 2022
ISLAMABAD:
The opposition in the Senate on Monday slammed the government for what it
called “a policy of appeasement” towards terrorist outfits, noting that talks
with those who challenged writ of the state had emboldened and encouraged such
actors.
Speaking
on an adjournment motion on the rising tide of terrorism, opposition senators
also voiced concern over talks with the outlawed Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan
(TTP), which were being held through a government that was not recognised by
any country of the world.
They
said that the recently unveiled National Security Policy be discussed in
parliament and that an internal security policy, as well as the Afghan
strategy, should be framed in light of that discussion.
Senators
claimed the government was devoting all its energies to stifling dissent and
cornering its political opponents, while ignoring its responsibility to protect
the lives of the people.
Rashid
warns of terror threat against opposition march, urges them to reconsider plan
However,
the interior minister claimed that negotiations with the banned group had
stalled because their demands were unreasonable, warning the opposition of a
potential terror threat if it went ahead with its proposed long march and asked
them to consider rescheduling it.
Opening
debate on the topic, Pakistan Peoples Party leader Sherry Rehman sought an
explanation on how a sitting prime minister can decide who is the leader of the
opposition or who is not — a reference to PM Khan’s recent statement where he
said that he had no respect for Shehbaz Sharif and didn’t consider him an
opposition leader.
“This
is not his decision, nor is it his prerogative. It is the sovereign right of
the people to elect their representatives, not his own prerogative as a
manifestation of his own hubris and bizarre conceptualisation of the political
and constitutional reality of the country,” she remarked.
She
also criticised the prime minister for constantly blaming either previous governments,
external factors, or anyone but his own government for all the ills that
plagued the country. She said the people of Pakistan no longer knew where to
turn in their hour of unprecedented misery as crisis after crisis was unleashed
on citizens.
“He
is making a laughing stock of Pakistan by threatening his own country, but also
sending a message to his selectors, who are now clearly fed up with this
amateurish show. Too much is at stake, given Pakistan’s national security
challenges and economic distress. You can’t have rule by tantrum. Pakistan will
not be sacrificed to anyone’s ego,” she concluded.
But
defending his party chief, Leader of the House in the Senate Dr Shahzad Wasim
said that the prime minister was merely holding up a mirror to the opposition.
Asking
sarcastically who could possibly threaten “such an incompetent opposition”, he
said after disqualification by the courts, they first distributed sweets and
then started asking ‘mujhe kyon nikala’ (why was I removed). This prompted a
token walkout by the opposition.
Former
Senate chairman Raza Rabbani said the state had been patronising extremist
right wing forces and religious groups, adding that TTP was said to be
reorganising in Afghanistan.
He
said that the TTP kept on violating a ceasefire agreement, but the government
still says its doors are open for talks.
Senator
Tahir Bizenjo of the National Party said that over the last 10 days, eight
terrorist attacks had taken place across the country, while Nawabzada Umar
Farooq Kasi said that negotiating with terrorists only encouraged them.
Jamaat-i-Islami
Senator Mushtaq Ahmad regretted that terrorists and target killers ruled the
roost and demanded that former military ruler Pervez Musharraf be brought to
Pakistan and tried for his surrender before the US and the murder of Nawab
Akbar Bugti.
He
asked who was it that actually negotiated with the TTP, and what were the terms
of these talks. He also sought an explanation from the interior minister over
his statement about presence of terrorists’ sleeper cells in Islamabad.
Responding
to the opposition, Interior Minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmed said no talks were
currently being held with the TTP since their demands were considered to be
against the country’s security interests.
He
claimed India does not want good relations between the Afghan Taliban and
Pakistan, adding that evidence suggested RAW was behind many terror attacks in
the country, which were carried out by local criminals hired by the Indian
agency.
He
also disclosed that the opposition’s protest march on the capital, scheduled
for March this year, was also under threat of terrorist attack and called on
its leadership to reconsider its decision.
Source:
Dawn
Please
click the following URL to read the text of the original story:
--------
India
Madhya
Pradesh: Muslim man donates land for samadhi of Jain monk
24th
January 2022
Neemuch:
In a novel gesture, a Muslim man donated his land for the last rites of a Jain
monk in Singoli in Neemuch district of Madhya Pradesh.
Jain
pontiff Muni Shri Shantisagar died on Thursday and, as per religious belief, a
tract of land on Neemuch-Singoli Road belonging to Ashraf Meo aka Guddu, former
chairman of Singoli Nagar Panchayat, was found apt for his funeral, followers
said on Monday.
Though
members of the local Jain community offered huge sums of money to Guddu for the
land for the last rites of the monk, he declined, they added.
Money
does not count for me. It is my privilege that a samadhi (memorial) of a Jain
monk will come up on my land. I have been getting phone calls congratulating me
for setting such a fine example of communal amity and brotherhood in Singoli,”
he said.
Source:
Siasat Daily
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
https://www.siasat.com/madhya-pradesh-muslim-man-donates-land-for-samadhi-of-jain-monk-2263803/
--------
Anti-CAA
protest sites were deliberately picked close to 25 mosques: Prosecution opposing
Umar bail plea
by
Anand Mohan J
January
25, 2022
The
prosecution opposing former JNU student Umar Khalid’s bail in a northeast Delhi
riots case has told a Delhi court that all 25 anti-CAA protest sites in Delhi
were picked because of their proximity to mosques, but were “purposefully given
secular names”.
Special
Public Prosecutor Amit Prasad made these arguments before Additional Sessions
Judge Amitabh Rawat, arguing that the 25 protest sites were close to local
mosques. Giving out examples, the SPP said: “Shreeram colony protest site was
actually Noorani Masjid protest. Sadar Bazar protest site was Shahi Idgaah.
Shastri Park protest site was actually Wahid Jama Masjid. Gandhi Park protest
site was actually Jamila Masjid… All 25 protests sites I have pointed out are
in close vicinity of masjids. That is the identification of these protest
sites.”
The
SPP argued that the organisers of the protest sites wanted to “create ground
work for 24X7 sit-in protests”.
“They
spread misinformation and instigate the Muslim community to join the protests,
including women and children,” the SPP argued.
He
argued that the protest sites were not organic in nature and that “hidden
elements were PFI, Jamat-e-Hind and Student Islamic Organisation of India”.
Prasad
argued that the purpose of the Jamia Awareness Campaign Team (JACT) was to
“spread disinformation and instigate Muslims about CAA, NRC and to induce their
women and children to join protests”.
The
SPP argued that there was “a public perception that Umar Khalid is an atheist
and studying in JNU, which vouches for being secular”. Prasad added: “Then why
did you join a Muslim group (Muslim Students of JNU)? You potray yourself as
something else for public knowledge.”
Prasad
also drew parallels between several incidents of rioting which took place
against the backdrop of the CAA-NRC protest with the Delhi riots, stating:
“Almost every person involved in December 2019 riots surfaced in 2020…
Difference between 2019 and 2020 is Jamia and Shaheen Bagh were deliberately avoided
and women were used as forefront to make it look like rightful dissent in
2020.”
Alleging
that the conspirators of the 2019 incident learned their lesson, and that this
could be seen in JNU student Sharjeel Imam’s speech, the SPP submitted,
“Northeast Delhi (was) chosen for its social, economic matrix for mass-scale
violence.”
Source:
Indian Express
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
--------
Assembly
elections: 4 of AIMIM’s 27 UP tickets so far given to Hindus
Mohd
Dilshad
Jan
25, 2022
MUZAFFARNAGAR:
Hyderabad-based All India Majlis-E-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) has given
tickets to four Hindu candidates out of 27 fielded for Uttar Pradesh assembly
polls so far. Among the four candidates, one of them has been fielded from
Muzaffarnagar’s communally-sensitive Budhana assembly segment.
State
president of AIMIM Shaukat Ali said, “In the coming days, we will give more
tickets to our Hindu brothers. We do not give tickets on the basis of religion.
We are considered communal, but the fact is, it is the BJP that doesn't offer
tickets to Muslims.”
Providing
further details of candidates, Ali said that Pandit Manmohan Jha will contest
from Sahibabad constituency in Ghaziabad, Bheem Singh Balyan from Budhana seat,
Vinod Jatav from Hastinapur seat in Meerut and Vikas Srivastava from Ramnagar
in Barabanki.
Source:
Times Of India
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
--------
Man
beaten for travelling with Hindu woman booked under anti-conversion law
By
Shruti Tomar
Jan
25, 2022
BHOPAL:
A 26-year-old Muslim man was on Monday booked under Madhya Pradesh’s
anti-conversation law 10 days after he was assaulted for travelling on a train
with a Hindu woman in Ujjain.
Arun
Solanki, a local police officer, said the case was registered against Asif
Sheikh, a resident of Indore, for extortion and allegedly forcing the
25-year-old woman from Mhow to marry him. He said Sheikh was booked on the
woman’s complaint.
In
her complaint, the woman said Sheikh, a friend of her husband, would come to
her house frequently, and a few months ago, clicked her “objectionable photos”.
She alleged Sheikh threatened to defame her and was blackmailing her for money.
Solanki said recently he allegedly started pressuring her for conversion for
marriage.
The
woman claimed she was under pressure and was following what he was instructed
her to do. She added the accused was “forcefully taking her to Ajmer” when some
people stopped them. The woman said she got scared and did not file any
complaint at Ujjain.
Police
said they were trying to arrest the accused, who was on January 14 dragged out
of the train and thrashed at the Ujjain railway station for allegedly
misguiding the woman, who is married and a mother of a child.
Government
railway police superintendent (Ujjain) Nivedita Gupta earlier said the man and
woman were family friends. “The woman’s mother has confirmed the same. We
allowed them to go.”
Madhya
Pradesh is among the Bharatiya Janata Party-ruled states, which have
criminalised what they call forced religious conversion, including through
interfaith marriages. Critics of the legislation say they are being misused to
target Muslims and tend to infantilise women to prevent them from choosing who
they wish to marry.
Source:
Hindustan Times
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
--------
South Asia
Islamic
Emirate Meets With Envoys of 7 Nations, EU in Oslo
January
25, 2022
Acting
Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi and his delegation met with the envoys of
the European Union and seven countries on Monday in Oslo, according to the
Foreign Ministry.
The
Foreign Ministry’s spokesman Abdul Qahar Balkhi said on Twitter that the
delegation met with the EU special envoy plus those from the US, UK, Norway,
Germany, Italy, France, and Qatar.
“The
meeting focused on discussions about the economy, humanitarian aid, security,
the central bank, health and other relevant issues,” he said, “The discussions
are in progress, a full report will follow.”
The
US special envoy for Afghanistan Thomas West in a series of tweets on Sunday
evening said that the US and allies were seeking ways to address the
humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan.
“As
we seek to address (the) humanitarian crisis together with allies, partners,
and relief organizations, we will continue clear-eyed diplomacy with the
Taliban regarding our concerns and our abiding interest in a stable,
rights-respecting and inclusive Afghanistan,” he said.
Political
analysts believe that such meetings could play a vital role in solving the
problems in the country.
“There
is a need to take a constructive step inside Afghanistan for the formation of
an inclusive and sustainable government,” said professor Sayed Baqir
Mohseni.
Source:
Tolo News
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
https://tolonews.com/index.php/afghanistan-176441
--------
Islamic
Emirate: Talks with Afghan Civil Society 'Constructive'
January
25, 2022
The
Islamic Emirate said that the talks with the representatives of the Afghan
civil society held on Sunday in Norway’s capital Oslo were
“constructive."
A
joint statement of the one-day summit among the Afghans issued by the Islamic
Emirate, said that the participants “recognized” the only path for resolving
the existing Afghan problems is understanding and cooperation.
"The
participants of the meeting recognized that understanding and joint cooperation
are the only solutions to all the problems of Afghanistan,” Islamic Emirate’s
Spokesman Zabiullah Mujahid said. “All the participants, with one voice,
declared such meetings to be in the interest of the country.”
The
venue of the talks was the Soria Moria hotel and conference center.
The
closed-door meeting was attended by six women's rights defenders, seven
politicians and a high-profile journalist as well as the 15-member delegation
of the Islamic Emirate.
The
women representatives attended the summit included Mahbooba Saraj, Huda
Khamosh, Masouda Karokhel, Shah Gul Rezai, Jamila Afghan.
The
seven politicians were Sayed Ishaq Gailani, Hilaluddin Hilal, Abdul Karim
Khuram, Jafar Mahdawi, Amin Ahmad, Ismail Ghazanfar and Khan Aqa Ziarmal.
Lotfullah
Najafizada of TOLOnews represented the Afghan media community at the Oslo
summit.
“It
was a constructive discussion. There were some shared opinions over the
prolonging of political talks among the Afghan society,” said Abdul Latif
Nazari, a member of the Islamic Emirate delegation.
Former
president Hamid Karzai praised the Oslo summit meeting held between Afghans and
said the only way toward peace and stability is with intra-Afghan understanding
that reflects the will of the people.
“There
were people representing the Afghan civil society at the (Oslo) meeting who
support the Islamic Emirate government in Afghanistan but they attended on
behalf of the Afghan civil community,” said Sayed Javad Hussieni, head of the
Hezb-e-Adalat wa Tawsi-a.
Source:
Tolo News
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
https://tolonews.com/index.php/afghanistan-176439
--------
Positive
step: Taliban on India-Pakistan effort to supply 50,000 MT of wheat to
Afghanistan
Jan
25, 2022
NEW
DELHI: Despite their past antipathy towards India, the Taliban for now continue
to respond positively to the Indian government’s outreach efforts. As
Afghanistan battles an acute shortage of food, its UN ambassador designate said
India’s agreement with Pakistan to supply 50,000 MT of wheat to Afghanistan,
which is facing its worst drought in decades, is a positive step that will help
the local people.
“It
is a positive step. These humanitarian assistance are for the people of
Afghanistan for which we are grateful for the government of India. We also
thank the government of Pakistan for reaching an agreement with India and
providing facilities for transportation on of the wheat to Afghanistan,” said
Taliban’s UN ambassador-designate Suhail Shaheen.
The
Taliban had earlier too welcomed India’s offer of supplying wheat to Kabul
through the land border with Pakistan saying Afghanistan is passing through a
critical time. Asked about the possibility of Indian diplomats returning to
Afghanistan, Shaheen had said the Taliban were open to receiving all diplomats
and committed to providing security for their routine diplomatic functions.
The
UN has called for $5 billion in aid for Afghanistan in 2022 to deal with the
humanitarian crisis that the country is facing.
“A
full-blown humanitarian catastrophe looms. My message is urgent: don’t shut the
door on the people of Afghanistan,” said UN aid chief Martin Griffiths earlier
this month.
Source:
Times Of India
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
--------
Acting
FM Amir Khan Motaqi praises Oslo talks as achievement
25
Jan 2022
Acting
Foreign Minister of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan Amir Khan Motaqi said
that Oslo talks are a key achievement for Afghanistan.
Speaking
with Associated Press on Monday, January 24, 2022, Amir Khan Motaqi said that
during the talks with representatives of the International Community they
understood that the world is not leaving Afghanistan alone especially in terms
of humanitarian assistance.
The
IEA delegation led by Amir Khan Motaqi held talks with representatives of seven
countries and the EU and discussed education, humanitarian assistance, health,
and the release of Afghanistan’s frozen assets.
On
the first day of the talks, the delegation met with Afghan civil society,
non-Taliban Afghan figures, and Afghan women.
Source:
Khaama Press
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
https://www.khaama.com/acting-fm-amir-khan-motaqi-praises-oslo-talks-as-achievement-8768/
--------
Money
injection continues into Afghanistan’s economy, $32 million arrived in Kabul
25
Jan 2022
As
the International Community is trying to avert the collapse of Afghanistan’s
economic and social collapse by Injecting money, $32 million in cash arrived in
Kabul on Sunday, January 23, 2022.
Afghanistan
Central Bank-Da Afghanistan Bank- in a statement announced that the money has
arrived in Kabul and was transferred to Afghanistan International Bank, AIB.
The
money is part of the process that the United Nations has pledged to be going on
until March 2022.
The
amount of cash that has been planned to be conducted every single week is good
timing as Afghanistan desperately needs cash to prevent the collapse of the
banking system.
The
international community has provided to Afghanistan $200 million worth of
humanitarian assistance in the past two months.
Source:
Khaama Press
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
--------
Europe
Upper
class Britons 'more likely' to be Islamophobic, study finds
24
January, 2022
A
University of Birmingham study has found that Britons from middle and
upper-class occupational groups are more likely to hold Islamophobic views than
those from working class occupational groups.
Using
a sample size of 1,667 adults, the survey conducted with pollster YouGov
revealed that 23.3 percent of people from occupations defined as middle or
upper class held prejudiced views towards Muslims, as compared to 23.2 percent
of working class respondents.
"Prejudice
towards Islam and Muslims stands out in the UK, not only because it is much
more widespread than most forms of racism, but also because prejudice toward
Islam is more common among those who are wealthier and well-educated,"
said Dr Stephen H. Jones, the lead author of the study.
The
study, titled "The Dinner Table Prejudice: Islamophobia in Contemporary
Britain", also found that older men, working class people, Conservative
voters, and Brexiteers were more likely to hold Islamophobic views.
Overall,
the study found that 25 percent of Britons harbour negative feelings towards
Muslims, with a further 9.9 percent saying that they had "very
negative" feelings towards them.
Muslims
were also identified as the second "least liked group", behind Romani
and Irish travellers, with support for restricting Muslim migration 4-6 percent
higher than for other groups.
Researchers
also found that while the British public is almost three times more likely to
hold prejudiced views on Islam, they were also more likely to make factually
incorrect statements on Muslm faith and its adherents.
In
their report, the study's authors recommend that the government acknowledge the
"lack of criticism that Islamophobic discourses and practices trigger",
and urged educators to "provide clear guidance clarifying when tropes
about the Islamic tradition move from acceptable criticism to become
harmful".
Among
other recommendations, they also urged the BBC and other broadcasters to
"maintain their commitments to religion programming, but with renewed
emphasis on combatting intolerance".
Source:
The New Arab
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
https://english.alaraby.co.uk/news/uk-upper-class-more-likely-hold-anti-islam-views-poll
--------
Head
of Conservative Muslim Forum says Boris Johnson must explain why he sacked
Nusrat Ghani
Rob
Merrick
January
25, 2022
The head
of the Conservative Muslim Forum has called on Boris Johnson to explain whether
Nusrat Ghani was sacked for her “Muslimness” – after he ducked questions.
Mohamed
Sheikh said the prime minister could clear up whether the junior transport
minister was dismissed “because of her incompetence” or whether there were
“other reasons”.
“Why
did that happen? I think the prime minister must come out and say why did he
sack the minister,” Lord Sheikh said.
Asked
if the issue “could be simply solved”, he replied: “Absolutely. He needs to be
very clear about it. As a prime minister, it’s his privilege. He can bring
people on or he can sack people.”
The
forum chair also demanded clear terms of reference for the Cabinet Office
inquiry into the controversy, moments after No 10 was unable to say what those
terms will be.
“The
report must be made public in full. I don’t want a scenario where bits of the
report are truncated,” Lord Sheikh told BBC Radio 4. “And if any anyone is
found to have behaved badly, that person must be held to account.”
No 10
was unable to say whether the full findings of the inquiry will be published
and has rebuffed Labour calls for the chief whip, Mark Spencer, to be
investigated under the ministerial code.
Ms
Ghani has alleged that, when she was sacked in 2020, Tory whips told her that
her “Muslim woman minister status was making colleagues feel uncomfortable”.
Mr
Spencer identified himself as the person accused of making the remarks, but
said: “These accusations are completely false and I consider them to be
defamatory.”
Quizzed
on a hospital visit, Mr Johnson declined to back Mr Spencer, saying: “We must
wait and see what the investigation produces.”
He
said he was “very glad there’s an investigation taking place now,” – having
refused to set one up, nearly two years ago – but claimed: “I can’t say more,
really, about it.”
Ms
Ghani welcomed the announcement, but said she needed to see the terms of
reference to have confidence in it.
“The
terms of reference of the inquiry must include all that was said in Downing
Street and by the whip,” the Conservative backbencher argued.
The
anti-fascism campaign group Hope Not Hate said the Equalities and Human Rights
Commission should open an investigation into Islamophobia within the Tory
party.
“Islamophobia
runs right through the Conservative party, from its grassroots activists to its
most senior figures. This has real life consequences for Muslim communities in
the UK,” said Nick Lowles, the group’s chief executive.
Source:
Independent UK
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
--------
Report
finds Muslim communities among most discriminated against in UK
January
24, 2022
British
Muslims have been categorized as being one of the most discriminated
communities across the UK, according to a new report on Islamophobia published
on Monday.
The
analysis by the University of Birmingham and data analysis firm YouGov discovered
that the British public are more likely to hold discriminatory and negative
views on Islam than on any other religion and a significant minority of this
population hold incorrect and conspiratorial views on British Muslim
communities.
The
study revealed that the demographics of those most likely to hold such
Islamophobic views and beliefs are among the elderly population, working-class,
males, and those who voted to leave the EU as well as supporters of the
Conservative Party under Prime Minister Boris Johnson.
“Prejudice
towards Islam and Muslims stands out in the UK, not only because it is much
more widespread than most forms of racism, but also because prejudice toward
Islam is more common among those who are wealthier and well-educated,” said Stephen
H. Jones, the lead author of the study.
“No
one is calling for laws regulating criticism of religion, but we have to
recognize that the British public has been systematically miseducated about
Islamic tradition and take steps to remedy this,” Jones added.
According
to the report, the non-Muslim British public is three times more likely to hold
prejudiced views of Islam than they are of other faiths. Support for the
prohibition of Muslim migration to the UK is 4-6% higher than it is for other
religious and ethnic minority groups and British people are more confident in
making incorrect judgments about Islam than other non-Christian faiths.
The
report further finds that over one in four people hold conspiratorial views on
the so-called "Sharia no-go areas." Some 26.5% agree that there are
certain areas of the UK that operate under Sharia law and that non-Muslims are
prohibited from entering. 36.3% agree that Islam threatens the British way of
life. The vast majority of them are Tory and Brexit supporters.
Just
over a quarter of the British public harbor negative views towards Muslims with
9.9% feeling “very negative” towards them. In comparison, only 8.5% of the
public hold negative views for Jewish people, 6.4% for Black people, and 8.4%
for other white people of different nationalities.
The
study, however, found that people from middle and upper-class occupational
groups are also more likely to hold prejudiced views against Muslims and
Islamic beliefs. People from higher social groups are 4.8% more likely to view
Islam as “literalistic,” without interpretation, than other lower social
groups.
As
well as reporting on the scale of Islamophobia in the UK, the report also
offered various recommendations to combat and offer solutions to anti-Muslim
discrimination, including the public acknowledgment of Islamophobia by the
government and equally higher public institutions.
Source:
Yenisafak
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
--------
Australian
teenager begs for help from inside Syrian prison at centre of dramatic battle
between Islamic State and Kurdish fighters
January
24, 2022
A
17-year-old Australian inside a Syrian prison at the centre of intense fighting
between Islamic State militants and Kurdish-led forces has sent his family audio
recordings in which he begs for help.
Islamic
State (IS) fighters have besieged the prison since January 20 in an attempt to
free some of the thousands of IS members held inside.
The
Australian teen, who the ABC cannot identify, said he suffered a head wound as
gunfire and explosions rattled around him.
"I'm
Australian," he repeated urgently in audio clips he recorded on a phone.
"I'm
scared I might die any time."
The
17-year-old has spent the last three years inside the Guweiran prison in the
Syrian town of Hasakah, in the country's north-east.
The
militants breached a wall near the gates of the prison, where roughly 5,000 men
and 700 boys are detained, by detonating a car bomb and killing dozens of
staff, allowing inmates to flee.
Kurdish-led
forces, with US military support, have since fought back to try and reassert
control of the prison and the surrounding area.
'I
don't know what to do'
Caught
in the chaos of the attack, the Australian boy has sent a handful of short
voice recordings to his family in Sydney, describing the terror of the last few
days.
"They're
not stopping shooting," he said in an Australian accent.
"Every
little bit, they shoot. Every little bit they're hitting missiles. I don't know
what to do."
In
another recording, he described the bodies of those killed in the attack lying
in front of him.
The
Australian boy's voice recordings, obtained exclusively by the ABC, give a
glimpse into one of the boldest attacks by Islamic State militants since the
group lost most of its territory in Syria in 2019.
They
were sent to the boy's family in Sydney via a messaging app, and were shared
with a family friend, Kamalle Dabboussy, who has been campaigning for the boy
to be brought back to Australia.
"Over
the last 24 hours in particular, it's been a huge shock to the family," Mr
Dabboussy said.
None
of the teenager's extended family have had any direct contact with the boy
since he was detained three years ago.
"Before
he left, he was a really happy child," Mr Dabboussy said.
"He'd
actually quite like the big brother role, playing with younger kids around the
place. He was just a normal suburban kid."
How
did he end up in Syria?
It's
understood the boy has been in Syria since 2015, when he travelled to the newly
declared Islamic State caliphate with his parents and siblings.
He
would have been about 11 years old when he was taken from Australia.
His
mother is reportedly still alive and in the makeshift Roj detention camp, a
couple of hours drive away from the prison, though the two are not in regular
contact.
Following
the liberation of the last Islamic State stronghold of Baghouz in 2019, he and
his mother were transferred to a camp in north-east Syria, before they were
separated and the boy was taken to prison.
He
has remained there ever since.
Inside
the prison, conditions are poor, with overcrowding, inadequate healthcare, and
deteriorating mental health among the detained children, one humanitarian
worker who visited the site last year said.
At
least 40 Australian children remain in detention of some form across the
north-east of Syria, according to the organisation Save the Children.
"What
we know is that there are a large number of Australian women and children who
were caught up in a conflict with [IS] that ended back in 2019," said Mat
Tinkler, Save the Children's acting chief executive.
"Many
of the male relatives of these women and children either died during the
conflict or have been imprisoned."
Mr
Tinkler said his organisation had made repeated appeals to the Australian
federal government to intervene to have Australian children imprisoned in Syria
returned home to their families.
"But
that plea unfortunately has fallen on deaf ears and the Australian government
has refused to act for several years now," he said.
Mr
Dabboussy also said the government had taken too long to act.
"They're
acutely aware of the situation and have chosen to sit on their hands and not do
anything," Mr Dabboussy said.
The
Australian Foreign Minister Marise Payne said she was seeking advice about the
matter.
Source:
ABC News
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-01-25/australian-teen-in-syrian-prison-amid-firefight/100778996
--------
Pakistan
Lahore
court acquits man of blasphemy charge after 10 years
January
25, 2022
LAHORE:
A sessions court has acquitted a man in a case of alleged blasphemy registered
by Mughalpura police in 2011.
Asim
Aslam was arrested following the FIR registered on the complaint of his brother
Faisal Aslam under section 295-B of the PPC. The complainant himself admitted
in the FIR that the suspect had a history of mental illness.
A
trial court had awarded the suspect life imprisonment on the basis of his
confessional statement. Later, he challenged his conviction before the Lahore
High Court in 2015.
The
high court in 2021 suspended the sentence and directed the sessions court to
hold a fresh trial of the suspect in light of his mental health.
The
suspect also filed an application for his acquittal under section 265-K of the
Cr.PC.
Additional
District & Sessions Judge Khalid Wazir allowed the application of Aslam and
acquitted him of the charge.
Source:
Dawn
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
https://www.dawn.com/news/1671311/lahore-court-acquits-man-of-blasphemy-charge-after-10-years
--------
Winds
of change in Pakistan as PM Imran Khan loses support of partymen, Army: Report
Jan
25, 2022
ISLAMABAD:
Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan has lost the support of his own partymen and
the army, indicating 'winds of change' in Pakistan, reported the Policy
Research Group (POREG).
Defence
Minister of the ruling Pakistani government Pervez Khattak's attack on Imran
Khan about the negligence of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) by the Centre and greater
dissatisfaction within the military over Imran Khan's handling of internal
security can become a major cause of concern for Pakistan Prime Minister.
In
the short to medium term, Khattak might represent a danger to Prime Minister
Imran Khan.
According
to Maiteen Haider of the renowned Lahore newspaper The Nation, Khattak has the
backing of eighty legislators in the lower house of Parliament (National
Assembly) for an 'in-house' charge.
Khattar's
outburst during a parliamentary party gathering on January 13 came just one day
after he was alleged to have missed the inauguration of Pakistan's new National
Security Policy.
Recent
rumours that the ruling party has developed severe flaws have gained credence
as a result of this, reported the research group.
"KP
is being neglected in the provision of electricity and gas while these
facilities are being enjoyed by the people of other provinces," he fumed
as Imran Khan squirmed.
He
warned Imran Khan, "if the situation lingered on, the people of KP would
not vote for the PTI."
Another
PTI veteran, Noor Alam also critiqued Imran Khan saying, "It seems that
Peshawar is not a district of this country, but Mianwali and Swat are," he
said comparing his home town to the Prime Minister's constituency. And created
a flutter in political circles, saying "Am I not a Pakistani, am I only
here to cast my vote?"
Source:
Times Of India
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
--------
10
Pakistanis held in Paris for money laundering, human trafficking, using fake
documents
Jan
25, 2022
PARIS:
Ten Pakistani nationals have been arrested from the suburbs of Paris, on the
suspicion of money laundering, human trafficking and fake documents, according
to sources.
As
per media reports, police suspect two brothers among the 10 arrested, to be
controlling this network. Police got a whiff of the network in June 2020 after
being informed of suspicious packages carrying fake European documents arriving
in France, from Pakistan via Turkey and Greece.
According
to sources, the fake documents included official documents of countries in the
Schengen area and in particular for France, including passports, identity cards
and residence permits.
Following
this lead, investigators from the Central Office for the Suppression of
Irregular Immigration and the Employment of Undocumented Foreigners and OCRGDF
(Central Office for the Suppression of Serious Financial Crime) began
investigations into the presence of illegal workers operating in the Paris
region, largely in the construction sector.
During
the probe, the French authorities also unearthed 20 legal companies involved in
the construction business that were linked to a large network of
"taxi" companies, which were used to redirect the funds to nearly 200
bank accounts opened with false papers.
This
network transferred money to the various accounts using fake invoices or
documents and then got the money out of the legal circuit by withdrawing large
amounts from these bank accounts through ATMs.
Part
of the money withdrawn was used to pay illegal Pakistanis working in these
construction sites and the remaining diverted to Pakistan.
Source:
Times Of India
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
--------
Human
rights complaint cell set up in Islamabad
January
25, 2022
ISLAMABAD:
Federal Minister for Human Rights Dr Shireen Mazari on Monday launched the
human rights complaint cell at her ministry.
She
announced the launching of the cell at a meeting which was attended by ministry
of human rights joint secretary, all directors general and senior officers of
ministry attended.
Regional
human rights directors from Quetta, Lahore, Peshawar and Karachi participated
in the meeting via Zoom link, says a press release.
It
said that Human Rights Complaint Cell has been established under the Ministry
of Human Rights for receiving, sifting, segregating and forwarding of complaints
both at federal and provincial levels.
At
regional levels, ministry will be looking after the process of registration of
complaints through its directorate of human rights existing in provincial
capitals.
With
the help of this cell, the ministry would refer complaints after their
registration to department/agency concerned at any level and would be getting a
regular feedback for their timely redressal.
A
dedicated team of the cell will maintain proper data on all kinds of complaints
received.
Apart
from this, human rights violations have been categorised to ensure apposite
scrutiny and strong coordination among the departments.
In
the meeting, Human Rights DG briefed the participants about the cell that how
it has been established after multiple rounds of consultation at provincial and
federal levels.
It
will be operated under a well devised system generating an automated database
on registration as well as tracking of complaints.
He
told the participants that a special code would be allotted to every
application/complaint that may be registered through any channel including
written application sent through post, email or recorded on assigned telephone
numbers.
After
registration, ministry would perpetually monitor and take follow-up on all
complaints.
Source:
Dawn
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
https://www.dawn.com/news/1671318/human-rights-complaint-cell-set-up-in-islamabad
--------
Arab World
Syrian
Kurds say Islamic State militants surrender after prison raid
24
Jan, 2022
AMMAN:
Kurdish-led forces said on Monday they raided part of a prison seized by
Islamic State fighters in northeastern Syria and forced at least 300 of the
militants to surrender.
The
Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), spearheaded by the Kurdish YPG militia, said
militants were still holed up in other buildings, and plans were underway to
clear the rest of the detention complex in Hasaka city.
"The
operations to break into the prison have begun," one SDF source said.
Another said allies in a US-led coalition were involved in the "ongoing
operations" without elaborating. There was no immediate statement from
Islamic State.
At
least 180 inmates and militants and 27 security forces have died since Islamic
State fighters attacked the jail on Thursday in a bid to free their members,
officials have said.
The
SDF initially said it had thwarted the breakout, but later acknowledged that
inmates had taken over parts of the facility.
Syrian
Kurdish forces tighten siege after IS prison break
The
United Nations children's agency (UNICEF) called late on Sunday for the
evacuation of the nearly 850 children held in the complex with the militants
and their families, saying their safety was at "immediate risk".
SDF
officials declined to go into further details on their planned operation.
"Very
sensitive developments are taking place regarding ending the mutiny of Daesh
(the Arabic acronym for the Islamic State) mercenaries," SDF spokesman
Farhad Shami said in a tweet.
Arab
tribal figures in touch with relatives said they feared the death toll was much
higher than figures released by the SDF.
Residents
said thousands of families had fled since security services raided the
surrounding Ghweiran neighbourhood to search for freed prisoners.
The
jail is the largest among several publicly known ones where the SDF holds
suspected militants and other detainees in what aids groups say are overcrowded
and inhumane conditions.
The
US-based Human Rights Watch says the SDF holds a total of about 12,000 men and
boys suspected of Islamic State affiliation, including 2,000 to 4,000
foreigners from almost 50 countries.
Source:
Brecorde
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
--------
Lebanon
depression ‘orchestrated by the country’s elite’: World Bank
25
January ,2022
Lebanon’s
economic depression “is orchestrated by the country’s elite” and “has come to
threaten the country’s long-term stability and social peace,” the World Bank
said in a press release on Tuesday attached to its latest report on the
country.
Lebanon’s
descent into financial ruin began in 2019, the result of a poorly managed
spending binge that pushed up debt, political paralysis as rival factions
squabbled and foreign lenders’ reluctance to bail the country out unless it
reformed.
The
World Bank ranks the crisis as among the most severe globally since the
mid-19th century, devastating a country once seen as a wealthy and liberal
outpost in the Middle East before civil war broke out from 1975 to 1990.
“Lebanon’s
deliberate depression is orchestrated by the country’s elite that has long
captured the state and lived off its economic rents,” the release stated,
citing the World Bank Lebanon Economic Monitor Fall 2021 report.
“This
capture persists despite the severity of the crisis -- one of the top ten,
possibly top three most severe economic collapses worldwide since the 1850s; it
has come to threaten the country’s long-term stability and social peace.”
Lebanese
government revenues fell by almost half in 2021 to reach 6.6 percent of its
gross domestic product (GDP), marking the 3rd lowest ratio globally after
Somalia and Yemen, the bank said in its press release on Tuesday.
Real
GDP is estimated to have declined by 10.5 percent, according to the World Bank
Lebanon Economic Monitor, while gross debt is estimated to have reached 183
percent percent of GDP in 2021, a ratio only exceeded by Japan, Sudan and
Greece, the release insisted.
Source:
Al Arabiya
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
--------
Lebanon’s
former PM Hariri declares boycotting elections, stepping away from politics
24
January ,2022
Lebanon’s
former Prime Minister Saad Hariri on Monday announced his intent to boycott the
upcoming parliamentary elections and his decision to step away from the
domestic political scene for the time being.
Reading
from a prepared statement, a tearful Hariri called on members of his Future
Movement political party to follow suit and suspend their participation in
politics.
Recalling
his slain father, Rafik Hariri, the three-time premier said he had to
objectives after entering the political life: prevent another civil war from
breaking out in Lebanon and providing a better life for Lebanese.
“I
succeeded in the first one, but I did not have enough success in the second,”
Hariri said from his Downtown Beirut residence.
Hariri,
who once enjoyed strong ties with the West and the Gulf, saw his image
tarnished in recent years after making multiple concessions to Hezbollah and
its allies.
He
cited reaching agreements to end the violence on May 7, 2008, after Hezbollah
fighters took over Beirut. He then visited Syria’s Bashar al-Assad in Damascus
after the assassination of his father. Hariri also conceded and endorsed
political rival Michel Aoun to become the next president of Lebanon and
subsequently agreed to a new electoral law, which saw his party lose
significant parliamentary representation.
But
Hariri defended his decisions and said he was the only one who admitted his
wrongdoings.
“I
was the only one who responded to the October Revolution, and I submitted the
resignation of my government,” he said, referring to the nationwide
anti-government protests that broke out in October 2019.
Source:
Al Arabiya
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
--------
Syrian
prison battle death toll tops 150, concern over fate of minors
24
January ,2022
Kurdish
forces locked down a Syrian city Monday to trap ISIS fighters who attacked a
prison there five days earlier, leaving more than 150 dead in fierce battles.
For
the latest headlines, follow our Google News channel online or via the app.
The
Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) charged that the ISIS militants were
using hundreds of minors as “human shields” inside the Ghwayran prison in the
northeastern city of Hasakeh.
The
UN childrens’ agency UNICEF called for the protection of some 850 minors
detained inside the jail, some as young as 12, warning that they could be
“harmed or forcibly recruited” by ISIS.
More
than 100 ISIS fighters late Thursday stormed Ghwayran prison using suicide
truck bombs and heavy weapons, setting off days of clashes both inside the facility
and in surrounding neighborhoods.
The
fighting died down Sunday evening as the US-backed SDF consolidated control
over areas around the jail and declared the entire city locked down for a week.
“To
prevent terrorist cells from escaping... the Kurdish administration in
northeast Syria announces a complete lockdown on areas inside and outside
Hasakeh city for a period of seven days starting on January 24,” the
administration said.
Businesses
were ordered to close with the exception of essential services, such as medical
centers, bakeries and fuel distribution centers.
Civilians
were hunkering down Monday in their homes as Kurdish fighters backed by the
US-led coalition combed the area for hideout terrorists, reported an AFP
correspondent.
The
SDF erected several checkpoints at the entrances to Hasakeh, with even tighter
security measures imposed in neighborhoods adjacent to the jail, the
correspondent revealed.
The
SDF said in a statement its advances inside the prison were stymied by the use
of hundreds of minors as “human shields” by IS jihadists holed up in a
dormitory.
The
group said the adolescents, who had been detained over suspected links to ISIS,
were being kept in a “rehabilitation center” in the jail.
The
Britain-based group Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said Monday that a
precarious lull in fighting continued to hold, as holdout terrorists were
refusing to surrender.
Source:
Al Arabiya
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click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
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Saudi
Arabia, Romania sign defence deal renewing commitment to peace
25
January ,2022
Saudi
Arabia and Romania have entered a defense cooperation deal that will see an
exchange of expertise in technology, communication systems, and medical
services, in addition to training, according to the official Saudi Press Agency
(SPA).
It
comes as part of an agreement signed by the Kingdom, represented by Dr. Khalid
bin Hussein al-Bayari, Assistant Minister of Defense for Executive Affairs, and
Romania, represented by Simona Cojocaru, State Secretary and Chief of the
Department for Defense Policy, Planning and International Relations.
The
arrangement was established as the countries renew their commitment to “promote
and encourage international peace and stability,” SPA reported.
Source:
Al Arabiya
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
--------
UAE
reaffirms it will respond to Yemen’s Houthi attacks against it: Foreign
ministry
25
January ,2022
The
United Arab Emirates has reaffirmed that Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi attacks
against the Gulf country will not be received “without a thorough and
comprehensive response,” the foreign ministry said on Monday.
The
UAE intercepted early on Monday a missile attack launched by the Houthis
targeting Abu Dhabi, the second such attack within a week. The first strike
killed three people and injured six people.
“The
UAE reserves the right to respond against these terrorist attacks and such
blatant criminal escalation,” the ministry insisted, describing these attacks
as “a heinous crime committed by the terrorist Houthi militia in breach of
international and humanitarian laws.”
The
statement added: “This terrorist militia is continuing its criminal activities
without being held accountable, by causing terror and chaos in the region to
achieve its unlawful aims and objectives.”
The
UAE also expressed its strong condemnation and denunciation of the terrorist
Houthi militia's attack on Jazan in Saudi Arabia with a ballistic missile,
which left two civilians injured.
The
ministry considered this to be a dangerous escalation and cowardly act that
threatens the security, safety, and lives of civilians and called for the
taking of all necessary measures to protect civilians from Houthi threats.
The
UAE reaffirmed its solidarity with the Kingdom over these terrorist attacks and
reiterated its stance against all threats to the Kingdom's security, stability,
and the safety of its citizens and residents.
Source:
Al Arabiya
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click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
--------
UAE
cooperated closely with US to repel second Houthi attack on Abu Dhabi:
Ambassador
24
January ,2022
The
UAE cooperated closely with the US to thwart a second Houthi attack on Abu
Dhabi within a week, Emirati ambassador to the US Yousef Al-Otaiba said on
Monday.
“Close
UAE-US cooperation helped to repel another round of Houthi terror attacks this
morning in the UAE,” the ambassador said on Twitter.
The
UAE intercepted early Monday a missile attack launched by the Iran-backed
Houthis targeting Abu Dhabi, the second such attempted strike within less than
a week.
For
the latest headlines, follow our Google News channel online or via the app.
The
Ministry of Defense said it intercepted and destroyed the two Houthi ballistic
missiles with no casualties.
US
Central Command detailed: “US forces at Al Dhafra Air Base, near Abu Dhabi in
the UAE engaged two inbound missile threats with multiple Patriot interceptors
coincident to efforts by the armed forces of the UAE.”
Spokesman
Captain Bill Urban revealed the missiles didn’t impact the US base and there
were no casualties. He added that US forces “set a heightened alert posture at
the time of the attack, the second in the span of a week, which did involve
Airmen using available bunkers.”
“US
forces at Al Dhafra remain vigilant and ready to respond in case of any
follow-on attacks.”
Monday's
attack comes a week after the Houthis used cruise and ballistic missiles, as
well as drones, in an attack on Abu Dhabi that killed three people and injured
six others.
The
Emirati ambassador renewed the UAE’s calls for the US to redesignate Yemen’s
Iran-backed Houthis as a terrorist organization.
Otaiba
added: “(The) next step is to shut off financial and arms flows from their
backers. (The) US should move now to put the Houthis back on the terrorist
list.”
President
Joe Biden’s administration revoked a terrorist designation of the Houthis
introduced by former President Donald Trump in January of last year. Biden also
announced ending of US support for the offensive operations of the Arab
Coalition, led by Saudi Arabia, which intervened in Yemen in 2015.
Source:
Al Arabiya
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click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
--------
Bomb
explosion kills 3 soldiers in Iraq’s Kirkuk
Ibrahim
Saleh
24.01.2022
BAGHDAD
Three
Iraqi soldiers were killed in a bomb explosion in the northern Kirkuk province
on Monday, according to a local police officer.
An
explosive device planted by Daesh/ISIS terrorists exploded at a military
vehicle in a rural area in Daquq district in Kirkuk, the officer said,
requesting anonymity because he was not authorized to brief the media.
A
fourth soldier was injured in the attack.
Iraqi
forces have launched a manhunt for the attackers, the officer said.
Monday’s
attack was the second by Daesh/ISIS terrorists in less than a week after the
terror group killed 11 soldiers in a deadly attack on Friday in the eastern
Diyala province.
In
recent months, suspected Daesh/ISIS terrorists have stepped up attacks,
particularly in the area between Kirkuk, Saladin, and Diyala.
In
2017, Iraq declared victory over Daesh/ISIS by reclaiming all territories the
terrorist group controlled since the summer of 2014, which was estimated to be
about a third of the country’s territory.
Source:
Anadolu Agency
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
https://www.aa.com.tr/en/middle-east/bomb-explosion-kills-3-soldiers-in-iraq-s-kirkuk/2483924
--------
Mideast
Hamas:
Palestinian resistance will eventually lift Israel’s siege on Gaza
24
January 2022
The
Palestinian resistance will finally succeed in lifting Israel’s years-long
siege on the impoverished Gaza Strip and commence its reconstruction, the
resistance movement Hamas says.
In a
press statement, carried by the Palestinian Information Center, Hamas Political
Bureau member Mousa Abu Marzouk said on Sunday that all options are on the
table to deal with the Israeli behavior. “We will not accept any Israeli delays
or any attempts to link the prisoners swap deal with the reconstruction file,”
the Hamas official added.
Gaza,
home to some two million Palestinians, has been under Israeli siege since June
2007. The tight blockade has caused a
decline in the standards of living as well as unprecedented levels of
unemployment and unrelenting poverty.
Abu
Marzouk further stressed that the Gaza-based Hamas is working to relieve Gaza
citizens’ suffering, saying that the Palestinian Authority (PA), which is based
in the occupied West Bank, does not want any solution for the blockaded enclave
except after removing Hamas from the scene. The Ramallah-based PA, which is run
by the ruling Fatah party and led by President Mahmoud Abbas, considers Hamas
as its arch-rival.
“Fatah
movement deals with the institutions of the Palestinian people as a private
property,” the Hamas official went on to say, accusing Fatah of being one of
the most important causes of Palestinian crises. He said the establishment of
the Executive Committee of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) is
supposed to be according to a transparent and fair mechanism, and “not according
to the Fatah movement.”
Abu
Marzouk further emphasized that there is a necessity to reshape the leadership
of the Palestinian people according to democratic and national foundations, to
strengthen partnership in decision-making, to end current monochromic attitude,
and to rebuild the PLO so that it encompasses all components of the Palestinian
people.
Elsewhere
in his remarks, he also hailed efforts by Russia to end the Palestinian
division, stressing that Hamas has no conditions on national dialogs, and has
never set conditions for commencing new rounds of dialog.
Abu
Marzouk noted that Hamas had welcomed the Russian invitation, but that
“officials in the Fatah movement did not inform the Russians of their
response.”
The
Palestinian leadership has been divided between Fatah and Hamas since 2006,
when the latter scored a landslide victory in parliamentary elections in the
Gaza Strip. Hamas has ever since been running the coastal enclave, while Fatah
has been based in the autonomous parts of the Israeli-occupied West Bank.
Previous
reconciliation attempts by the two sides to form a power-sharing unity
government in Gaza and the West Bank have failed.
In
the latest Israeli bombardment campaign against the Gaza Strip, at least 260
Palestinians, including over 60 children, were killed in a time span of 11 days
that began on May 10 last year.
That
came following Palestinian retaliation for violent Israeli raids on worshipers
at al-Aqsa Mosque and the regime’s plans to force a number of Palestinian
families out of their homes at the Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood of East al-Quds.
Source:
Press TV
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click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
--------
Iran:
48k Civilians Killed under Pretext of US Fight against Terrorism
2022-January-24
"Under
the pretext of countering terrorism, the US has conducted at least 14,000 drone
strikes in seven countries over the last two decades," Qaribabadi wrote on
his Twitter account on Monday.
"The
result? 48,000 civilians killed, tens of thousands of homes shattered into
pieces," he added.
In
relevant remarks in November, Secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security
Council (SNSC) Ali Shamkhani blamed the US for exacerbated misery, poverty and
terrorism in the world, specially in Afghanistan.
Shamkhani
made the remarks, addressing the third edition of the Regional Security
Dialogue on Afghanistan in New Delhi, India.
He
said that the US and its coalition allies should be held accountable for the
myriad of crises Afghanistan is facing today, adding the “least responsibility”
they bear is to compensate for all the damage they have inflicted on the Afghan
people over the past two decades.
“Twenty
years ago, the United States occupied Afghanistan under the pretext of
confronting the Taliban and al-Qaeda, claiming to be fighting terrorism and
preaching that they want to turn Afghanistan into a role model and a source of
inspiration.”
However,
instead of acting on such a claim, it made the situation in Afghanistan even
worse, he said. “Terrorism, poverty and misery, as well as drug cultivation and
trafficking and migration, increased while a large number of innocent people in
Afghanistan were massacred by American fighter jets at weddings and mourning
ceremonies for vague reasons. The state- and nation-building claimed by the United
States ground to a halt.”
Shamkhani
said the US turned out to be a failure even in its “most basic role, i.e. the
establishment of the army and security system”, which quickly collapsed after
Washington and its allies left Afghanistan and the Taliban group took over.
Source:
Fars News Agency
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click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
--------
Stone-throwing
Israeli settlers attack Palestinian village
25
January ,2022
Israeli
settlers drove through a Palestinian village in the occupied West Bank on
Monday, throwing rocks through the windows of vehicles and businesses and
injuring a teenager, a Palestinian official said.
For
the latest headlines, follow our Google News channel online or via the app.
It
was the latest in a series of settler attacks in recent months. On Friday,
settlers attacked Palestinians and Israeli peace activists in the West Bank and
set a car on fire. Last month, a settler was shot and killed by a Palestinian
gunman, setting off revenge attacks.
The
Israeli military confirmed the incident on Monday, saying the Israelis had
caused “significant damage” and that police have opened an investigation.
Ghassan
Daghlas, a Palestinian Authority official, said a Palestinian teenager was
taken to the hospital after being struck in the head by a stone. He said the
teenager was “lightly wounded.”
Israeli
Defense Minister Benny Gantz released a statement saying anyone who throws
stones or lights cars on fire “is a terrorist and will be treated as such.”
Israeli
officials have repeatedly vowed to take action against settler violence in
recent months. Palestinians and Israeli rights groups say the army rarely
intervenes and often sides with the settlers.
Nearly
500,000 Israeli settlers live in 130 settlement and dozens of unauthorized
outposts across the occupied West Bank. The Palestinians view the settlements
as the main obstacle to resolving the conflict. Most countries see these
settlements as a violation of international law.
Source:
Al Arabiya
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click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
--------
Iran
could hold direct talks with US to reach ‘good’ nuclear deal: FM
24
January ,2022
Iran
could hold direct talks with the US over its 2015 nuclear deal if it deems it
necessary to reach a “good” agreement, Tehran’s top diplomat said on Monday.
“The
US is sending messages calling for direct talks with us… If we reach a stage in
the negotiations where it becomes necessary to have a [direct] dialogue with
the US to reach a good agreement, we will not ignore it,” Iranian state media
quoted Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian as saying.
Talks
between Iran and the remaining signatories to the 2015 deal – Russia, China,
France, Germany and Britain – are currently taking place in Vienna.
For
the latest headlines, follow our Google News channel online or via the app.
The
US is participating indirectly in the talks due to Iran’s refusal to negotiate
directly with Washington. The talks aim to bring Iran back into compliance with
the nuclear pact and facilitate a US return to the agreement.
US
Special Envoy for Iran Robert Malley, who heads up the US negotiating team in
Vienna, told Reuters on Sunday that Washington would “welcome” direct talks
with Tehran but added that his side has “heard nothing to that effect.”
Under
the 2015 deal, Iran limited its nuclear program in return for sanctions relief.
Washington
withdrew from the deal in 2018 under then-President Donald Trump, who also
reimposed sweeping sanctions on Tehran.
Source:
Al Arabiya
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click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
--------
Iran
says it rules out US prisoner release as nuclear talks precondition
24
January ,2022
Iran
on Monday ruled out any US preconditions for reviving a 2015 nuclear deal,
including the release of American prisoners held by the Islamic Republic.
“Iran
has never accepted any preconditions by the United States... The US official’s
comments on the release of US prisoners in Iran is for domestic use,” Iranian
Foreign Ministry spokesman Saeed Khatibzadeh told a weekly news conference.
The
lead US nuclear negotiator told Reuters on Sunday the United States was
unlikely to strike an agreement with Iran to revive the nuclear pact unless
Tehran released four US citizens Washington claims it is holding hostage.
Iran’s
state news agency IRNA said earlier on Monday that setting such preconditions
would slow down indirect talks between Tehran and Washington to secure the
deal.
Source:
Al Arabiya
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click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
--------
Palestinian
PM warns of escalating Israeli settlers’ violence against Palestinians in West
Bank
25
January 2022
Palestinian
Prime Minister Mohammad Shtayyeh has warned of escalating violence by extremist
Israeli settlers against Palestinians and their properties across the occupied
West Bank, condemning their attacks against local communities in the occupied
territories.
Speaking
at a weekly cabinet session in the northeastern West Bank city of Tubas,
Shtayyeh stated that the Palestinian Authority condemns the seizure of
Palestinian farms by hundreds of Israeli settlers in northern West Bank as well
as their putting of signs on the roads prohibiting farmers from reaching their
lands.
“Tubas
and the Jordan Valley areas witness gradual annihilation of the West Bank.
Israel continues to destroy the Palestinian lands, plows them with tanks and
heavy military vehicles, and destroys all elements of Palestinian
steadfastness,” he said.
Shtayyeh
added that Israeli authorities “are expelling the Palestinians from their
living places under the pretext of military training and prevent them from
returning to their homes.”
Settlers
attack Palestinians, stores in Huwara
The
Palestinian prime minister’s remarks came on the same day that Israeli settlers
stormed the West Bank Palestinian town of Huwara, and vandalized stores, homes,
and vehicles in a violent attack that left three Palestinians injured.
The
Israeli army said in a statement that “there was an altercation between
settlers and Palestinians, in which several Palestinian vehicles and businesses
in Huwara were damaged.”
“The
altercation began when a number of vehicles traveling in a convoy on Route 60
through the Huwara threw stones” causing extensive damage, the statement added.
According
to Israeli human rights organization Yesh Din, the attack occurred in full view
of Israeli military forces, who often heavily patrol that section of the road.
Yesh
Din said that a group of extremist Israeli settlers arrived in a convoy of cars
accompanied by Israeli troops, from the direction of the Tapuah junction, and
that the convoy played loud music.
The
convoy stopped in Huwara, which lies south of Nablus. Those in the vehicles
threw stones at Palestinian cars, stores, and homes, shattering windows and
injuring three Palestinians, the rights group noted.
‘Settlers
conducting pogrom against Palestinians’
Yesh
Din’s executive director Lior Amihai warned that Israeli settlers are
conducting a pogrom against the Palestinians.
“In
broad daylight, under the guise of protection from the soldiers, a convoy of
settlers is conducting a pogrom against the Palestinians,” Amihai stated.
Last
month, the Palestinian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates called upon
the international community to intervene immediately and to pressure the
occupying Israeli regime into stopping “acts of terrorism” committed by
extremist settlers against Palestinians and their communities.
The
ministry, in a statement, urged UN Secretary General António Guterres to
promptly activate the international protection system for Palestinian civilians
under the Israeli occupation.
Source:
Press TV
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click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
--------
Saudi
warplanes heavily bomb Yemeni cities amid internet blackout
25
January 2022
The
Saudi-led coalition’s fighter jets have launched new airstrikes on the Yemeni
capital of Sana’a and nearby cities, as Riyadh escalates its aggression against
the war-ravaged country.
Yemen's
al-Masirah television reported the fresh air raids on the impoverished country,
saying the warplanes repeatedly pounded different areas in Sana’a and its
neighboring cities in the early hours of Tuesday.
The
television network said the Saudi-led coalition’s fighter jets launched five
rounds of airstrikes on al-Nahdin and al-Hafa areas in the al-Sabeen district
of Sana’a, and a raid on the the Faj Attan district in the mountainous
outskirts of the capital.
Saudi
warplanes also launched three raids on the Jarban area in the Sanhan district
of the capital, two raids on the Arhab district, in addition to destroying the
telecommunications network with two raids on the district of al-Hosn in
Khawlan.
There
is still no report of possible casualties in the Tuesday’s aggression.
The
airstrikes continue amid a nationwide internet blackout since the Saudi-led
coalition bombed a telecommunications hub in Yemen’s port city of Hudaydah last
week.
The
incident has severely limited independent media and human rights monitoring
efforts. Observers say the attack appears a deliberate move by the Saudi-led
coalition to keep the world in the dark about the extent of death and
destruction resulting from its airstrikes in Yemen.
Yemen's
northwestern provinces of Hajjah and Sa’ada were targeted earlier on Monday as
the coalition stepped up its airstrikes on Yemen over the past week, leaving
more than 100 people killed and many more injured.
Saudi
Arabia, backed by the United States and regional allies, launched the war on
Yemen in March 2015, with the goal of bringing the government of former Yemeni
president Abd Rabbuh Mansour Hadi back to power and crushing Ansarullah
movement.
The
war has left hundreds of thousands of Yemenis dead and displaced millions more.
It has also destroyed Yemen’s infrastructure and spread famine and infectious
diseases there.
Despite
heavily-armed Saudi Arabia’s incessant bombardment of the impoverished country,
the Yemeni armed forces and the Popular Committees have grown steadily in
strength against the Saudi-led invaders and left Riyadh and its allies bogged
down in the country.
‘Yemen
Hurricane II showed only a small portion of our capabilities’
Yemen's
Supreme Political Council said in a statement late Monday that the recent
large-scale operation, dubbed Yemen Hurricane II, was launched deep inside
Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) in response to the massacre in
Yemen by the two countries.
“The
operation achieved our goals in these two aggressor countries,” the statement
said, calling on the Yemeni army and popular committees to "intensify
their efforts to conduct unique operations against the aggressors."
The
Supreme Political Council said Yemeni army forces and popular committees are
steadfast in liberating all the occupied territories, adding, “The countries
that do not know the history of Yemen should reconsider their calculations
today.”
Addressing
the aggressor countries in Yemen, the statement underlined that "what you
saw was only a small portion of our capabilities in counterattacks."
The
spokesman for Yemeni armed forces confirmed the attacks in the early hours of
Monday, saying Yemeni troops carried out Yemen Hurricane II against sensitive
targets deep inside the UAE and Saudi Arabia, using domestically-developed
ballistic missiles and combat drones.
The
retaliatory attacks came only a week after Yemeni forces carried out airstrikes
against strategic facilities deep inside the UAE on January 17, using
domestically-manufactured combat drones and ballistic missiles.
The
Abu Dhabi police, in a statement published on the official Emirates News Agency
WAM, said three fuel tanker trucks had exploded in the industrial Musaffah
area, near the storage facilities of the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company
(ADNOC), and that a fire had also broken out at a construction site at Abu Dhabi
International Airport.
At
least three people have been killed and six others wounded in the suspected
drone attack, according to Emirati authorities.
‘We
will target UAE’s military, economic facilities if it continues aggression’
Mohammed
Abdul-Salam, the spokesman of Yemen’s Ansarullah movement, warned the UAE on
Monday that the country’s military and economic facilities would be targeted by
the Yemeni armed forces if it continued its aggression against the impoverished
country.
“The
UAE cannot tolerate missile attacks as it is a small state relying on security,
economy and relations, and includes a grouping of international companies
operating in the region,” Abdul-Salam said in an interview with Lebanon's
al-Mayadeen television network.
Commenting
on Yemen Hurricane II operation, he said the UAE is “a state without depth,
therefore, if the UAE loses its security, the state, prestige and everything
will be lost."
"We
were counting on the UAE to take a clear position, after it twice announced its
withdrawal from Yemen."
Source:
Press TV
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--------
Africa
Morocco
Wages "Soft" War Against Islamic Extremism In Prisons
January
24, 2022
RABAT
— In Europe, deradicalization policies are often highly contested and their
effectiveness is regularly questioned. But Morocco, a majority Muslim country,
has become a pioneer in these sorts of programs. To face the terrorist threat
on its territory, the North African kingdom is not content with preventing
attacks and neutralizing actors. A security source contacted by Jeune Afrique
spoke of a "multi-dimensional strategy that does not rely solely on the
security approach.”
Unlike
in Western democracies, King Mohammed VI's status as "Commander of the
Faithful" offers undeniable leeway for developing a religious
counter-discourse. In association with his partners in the Sahel and West
Africa, he has been allowed to set up the training of imams at the Mohammed VI
Institute.
The
2014 reorganization of the Higher Council of Ulemas, the only body authorized
to issue fatwas (rulings on Islamic law given by a recognized authority), has
made it possible to effectively combat the issuers of fatwas belonging to
radical Islam.
Questioning
dogma
But
it is the Moussalaha (reconciliation in Arabic) program, launched in 2017, that
constitutes the most original practice in Morocco in terms of
counter-terrorism. Its principle: to care for and accompany detainees
incarcerated for terrorism-related reasons.
Mohamed
Damir, a 48-year-old Moroccan father of three, is a former beneficiary of the
program. Damir was sentenced to death for terrorism following the 2003 attacks
in Casablanca — in which he did not participate — at the age of 26. After the
attacks, Moroccan authorities responded with a crackdown on circles tied to
radical Islam.
Damir,
who frequented unarmed groups and mosques where fundamentalist messages were
common, was among those arrested. He spent a total of 15 years and 13 days in
prison. He blames his radicalization on "a lack of maturity combined with
a lack of scientific and cultural education.”
His
first years in prison reinforced his radicalization; he continued to learn
passages of the Koran by heart, without trying to contextualize or interpret
them. Then came loneliness and doubts. Alone with himself, Damir began to
question the dogmas he had mechanically assimilated and took the first steps to
carry out his studies remotely.
Fit
to reintegrate
He
began by studying international law in French. Since it was mandatory to attend
classes in person to pursue a master's degree, he had to give up his plan. But
the study bug never left him. He enrolled in a sociology degree in Rabat, then
in the department of psychology in Salé, and finally in a theology degree at a
university in Tetouan. During detention, he claims to have read more than 1,500
books in three different languages.
At
first, his death sentence was commuted to 30 years in prison. Then came
Moussalaha, which for him was the "consecration of his own efforts."
On
the docket is a vast economic and social reintegration program, as well as the
creation of an individual project to become independent and "learn to
manage a home."
Judged
fit to reintegrate into civil society, he was released after 15 years behind
bars. Of the first 25 people in the program, 15 have had their sentences
reduced. To date, only one person who participated in the program has
re-offended on a common law offense.
The
release is accompanied by individualized psychological counseling. According to
Damir, all the released inmates have "found a path to peace." This is
an undeniable success, far from the controversies raised in Europe by
deradicalization programs.
Search
for meaning
For
Abdellah El Youssoufi, born in 1990, everything began outside of Morocco's borders.
Originally from Al-Hoceima in the Rif mountains in the north of the country, he
decided to leave Morocco for Tunisia in 2011 in the hope of finding a job and
better living conditions.
In
Tunis, El Youssoufi joined the ranks of Ansar al-Sharia, one of the most
prominent Salafist organizations of the moment. The Islamist political party
Ennahdha made its comeback after the fall of Tunisian President Zine El Abidine
Ben Ali. According to El Youssoufi, fundamentalist preaching became commonplace
in the country and those who did it were not worried about the local police
interfering.
He
found within these structures a form of self-esteem that he had never
experienced before: "With the Salafist organizations, I found hope for a
better future. They offered me a dignified job in commerce, and then little by
little, they trusted me and gave me more and more responsibilities. With these
people, I felt for the first time that my life was not in vain.”
He
made several preaching calls to join the ranks of Ansar al-Sharia, where he
vehemently criticized the Moroccan state.
"Beyond
the search for meaning, extreme poverty, the lack of professional prospects
and, above all, the lack of consideration and respect when you come from a
disadvantaged background in Morocco are all factors that played a role in my
radicalization," he explains.
It
was a video posted on YouTube that alerted the Moroccan authorities, who
decided to contact their Tunisian counterparts. Arrested and interrogated in
Tunisia for 10 days, El Youssoufi was sent back to Morocco, where he was
sentenced to three years in prison in 2014.
His
incarceration in turn pushed him to introspection. He said prison was a period
of great questioning. It allowed him to reflect on what he experienced during
his years within the Salafist movement. He saw “the limits of the responses
provided by these movements to the political and social problems of our
countries, as well as their contradictions with Islam and the message of our
Prophet.”
Still
a Muslim
Having
also taken part in the Moussalaha program, El Youssoufi’s deradicalization is
part of the same path as that described by Mohamed Damir — the culmination of a
maturation process.
"Moussalaha
was a chance and a golden opportunity for me to start a new life, on a healthy and
balanced basis. But it was preceded by a long work of self-questioning, a
personal effort to turn the page of this period which is for me a failure at
all levels," he says.
While
he says he was constantly supported and encouraged by the penitentiary hierarchy,
he also received pressure from several of his fellow prisoners, who perceived
his ideological shift as a "betrayal.” This did not prevent him from
obtaining a degree in computer science.
Since
its inception, 207 prisoners have participated in Moussalaha and 116 have been
granted a royal pardon. Damir says he never lost his faith during his
detention: "What changed was my way of reading and interpreting the sacred
texts," he says.
Today,
he believes that reading allowed him to break free from his ideological
straitjacket: "Without reading, you can't access anything.”
Source:
World Crunch
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
https://worldcrunch.com/culture-society/radical-islam-prison/still-a-muslim
--------
Taraba
State Governor Ishaku Warns Muslim Council Against Attempt To Cause Religious
Tension
January
24, 2022
Taraba
state governor, Arc Darius Ishaku has warned the leadership of the state Muslim
Council against any attempt to cause religious or political tension in the
state.
Ishaku,
who spoke to journalists in Jalingo through his Commissioner of Information and
Orientation, Barr. Danjuma Adamu, said his administration would deal decisively
with any group or individual whose aim is to disrupt the peace of the state.
He
noted that the allegation of bias against Muslims in appointments made by the
Muslim Council against the administration of Governor Ishaku at a press conference
on Friday, January 21, 2022 was false and ridiculous.
“As
we speak,government views the action as a blatant attempt to cause religious
and political sentiment among the loving people of the state,” he stated.
He
maintained that Taraba state Muslims Council took the wrong step in channeling
its complaint of the so-called marginalisation of Muslims in appointments.
He
lamented that the allegation by the Muslim Council was an embarrassment to the
state and the personality of Governor Ishaku.
He
informed that during the Christmas homage in 2021 in Takum LGA of the state,
the Muslims Council led by its chairman, Abdumumin Abubakar, a retired Khadi,
praised the governor for his fairness in dealing with the two major religions
in the state.
Source:
Blueprint
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
--------
Over
30 killed in fresh communal violence in South Sudan
Benjamin
Takpiny
25.01.2022
JUBA,
South Sudan
At
least 33 people were killed, including four children, in an attack over the
weekend on a village in South Sudan’s Jonglei state.
Matuor
Mabior, secretary general of the Bor Community Youth Association, confirmed
Monday to Anadolu Agency that armed youth from the neighboring Pibor
Administrative Area attacked Baidit Payam in the afternoon, also leaving scores
injured.
Mabior
said the attackers also took off with an undisclosed number of cattle.
“The
number of cattle raided is not yet confirmed, but the death toll according to
the information we have gathered is 33,” he said.
He
disclosed that the situation remains tense, urging the state government to
intervene.
“The
security situation is still tense because people are still afraid of another
attack, since it is not the first time that armed youth have attacked Bor
County.
“There
are no security personnel that have been sent to the area. The people who have
been attacked are the ones protecting themselves,” he added.
Bor
South County Commissioner Yuot Alier also confirmed the incident, saying that
around 20 other people were wounded in Sunday’s attack and some homes were
burned.
Alier
said 33 people were shot dead and three children were drowned while people
tried to hide.
He
said the attackers left with hundreds of cattle. Two of the attackers were
reportedly killed.
Tuong
Majok, the acting governor of Jonglei state, who is also the state minister of
cabinet affairs, condemned the attack and urged South Sudan's government to
intervene to stop the "cowardly attacks" against civilians.
In
November last year, nine people were reportedly killed in two separate
incidents in Bor town.
Greater
Jonglei region authorities have been convening peace and reconciliation
conferences to discuss the issues of killings and cattle rustling in their
surroundings.
But
revenge attacks, cattle raiding and child abduction in some areas persist.
The
United Nations Mission in South Sudan said that revenge attacks and
cattle-related killings remain the biggest insecurity incidents after political
violence subsided in the country following the signing of a revitalized peace
agreement.
In
January 2021, the communities of Jonglei and Pibor agreed to a number of
resolutions at a peace and reconciliation conference in the capital Juba aimed
at ending the violence. The latest attack shows that the resolutions are being
implemented by both sides.
The
peace conference, attended by Vice President James Wani Igga, agreed to
compensate the families of those killed or injured during the violence.
Source:
Anadolu Agency
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
https://www.aa.com.tr/en/africa/over-30-killed-in-fresh-communal-violence-in-south-sudan/2484523
--------
Bomb
blast kills at least 6 in Somalia
Mohammed
Dhaysane
24.01.2022
MOGADISHU,
Somalia
At
least six people were killed and more than 10 others wounded in Somalia when a
bombing targeted a teashop on Monday afternoon in the Middle Shabelle region,
officials said.
The
attack took place in the town of Qalimow, located 65 kilometers (40 miles)
north of the country's capital Mogadishu.
A
police officer in the nearby town of Balad told Anadolu Agency that the blast
was the result of remotely controlled explosives planted in the teashop, with the
woman who owned the venue, a waiter, and four soldiers were among those killed
in the attack claimed by the al-Shabaab terror group.
"The
region is full of explosives planted by the terrorist group al-Shabaab and most
people in the area can't tell the security forces if they see one, because of
fear of al-Shabaab," the officer told Anadolu Agency.
The
al-Qaeda-affiliated group claimed that it had targeted the teashop for being a
meeting point of Somali government soldiers.
Source:
Anadolu Agency
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
https://www.aa.com.tr/en/africa/bomb-blast-kills-at-least-6-in-somalia/2484285
--------
Algeria’s
leader in Egypt for talks on Libya, Ethiopia dam
24
January ,2022
Algeria’s
President Abdelmadjid Tebboune arrived in Cairo on Monday for a two-day visit
focusing on bilateral ties and the turmoil in Libya, officials said.
Egyptian
President Abdel Fattah el-Sissi received Tebboune at the Cairo international
airport, according to the Egyptian leader's office.
The
visit is the Algerian leader’s first to Egypt since he took office late in
2019, it said. El-Sissi visited Algeria in 2014.
The
two leaders will discuss the upheaval in neighboring Libya, which failed to
hold its first presidential election last month, the state-run Algeria Press
Service said.
The
news agency reported that Algeria-Egypt consultations will aim to support
holding elections that “will preserve Libya’s sovereignty and territorial
integrity.”
Source:
Al Arabiya
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
--------
Libya
parliament committee urges change of PM
24
January ,2022
A
Libyan parliament committee on Monday said the chamber should choose a new
interim prime minister and ruled out fresh elections for at least nine months
after a planned national vote collapsed in December.
A
move by the eastern-based parliament to replace Abdulhamid al-Dbeibah, who was
installed through a UN-backed peace process, might be rejected by other
factions, while an electoral delay may disappoint Libyans who had registered
for the vote.
The
UN-backed plan had called for both parliamentary and presidential elections on
December 24, but preparations for the vote fell apart over disagreements about
fundamental rules, including the eligibility of some main candidates.
After
the election process collapsed the parliament set up a political roadmap
committee to look at what to do next.
Source:
Al Arabiya
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
--------
Burkina
Faso army says it has deposed president, suspended constitution
24
January ,2022
Burkina
Faso's army said on Monday it had ousted President Roch Kabore, suspended the
constitution, dissolved the government and the national assembly, and closed
the borders.
The
announcement, signed by Lieutenant Colonel Paul-Henri Sandaogo Damiba and read
by another officer on state television, said the takeover had been carried out
without violence and that those detained were at a secure location.
The
statement was made in the name of a previously unheard of entity, the Patriotic
Movement for Safeguard and Restoration or MPSR, its French language acronym.
For
the latest headlines, follow our Google News channel online or via the app.
“MPSR,
which includes all sections of the army, has decided to end President Kabore's
post today,” it said.
It
cited the deterioration of the security situation and what it described as
Kabore's inability to unite the nation and effectively respond to the
challenges it faces.
The
army broadcast came after two days of confusion and fear in the capital
Ouagadougou, where fighting erupted at army camps on Sunday, with soldiers
demanding more support for their fight against militants.
Kabore's
whereabouts were unknown on Monday after heavy gunfire was heard in the area
around his residence overnight.
Source:
Al Arabiya
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
--------
Southeast Asia
Selangor
Islamic Religious Council Appeals To Reinstate 3 Children’s Unilateral
Conversion To Islam
Ho
Kit Yen
January
25, 2022
PUTRAJAYA:
A case involving the unilateral conversion to Islam of three children was stood
down by the Court of Appeal today to wait for another similar case that is up
for hearing at the Federal Court tomorrow.
The
Selangor Islamic Religious Council (Mais) and state muallaf registry are
seeking to reinstate the conversion status of the three children at the Court
of Appeal after the High Court struck down their earlier bid.
The
three teenagers were aged between eight and 13 when their father converted them
to Islam at a mosque in Batu Muda, Gombak on March 16, 2015. The following day,
the father registered their conversion at the Hidayah Centre Foundation, an
entity under the state government.
Their
non-Muslim mother – who has since divorced the father – claimed she was not
consulted on the children’s conversion to Islam. The children alleged that they
did not agree to embrace Islam.
The
mother and children subsequently filed a lawsuit against Mais, seeking to quash
the conversion. The federal government was named as co-defendant in the suit.
High
Court judge Mohd Zaki Abdul Wahab had on Dec 28, 2020 ruled in favour of the
mother and children’s application to quash the children’s conversion to Islam.
The
court ruled that it was bound by the 2018 Federal Court decision in
kindergarten teacher M Indira Gandhi’s children’s conversion case where it was
held that the consent of both mother and father were needed.
Aggrieved
over the High Court’s decision, Mais filed an appeal before the Court of
Appeal.
During
the appeal hearing today, Mais’ lawyer Mohamed Haniff Khatri Abdulla informed
the court that there would be a similar unilateral conversion case before the
Federal Court tomorrow where the same questions of law would be raised.
In
this case, the Federal Court will hear Mais’ bid to appeal to reinstate the
conversion of five children – done by their father – into Islam.
“I
humbly request for this hearing to be stood down until the Federal Court hears
our leave application tomorrow,” he said.
Lawyer
Sa’adiah Din, representing the mother and three children, said they had no
objection to the hearing being adjourned until the Federal Court disposed of
the other case.
Judge
Suraya Othman then said the court would fix a new hearing date pending the
Federal Court case. Other Court of Appeal judges who sat with her were Azizah
Nawawi and Hashim Hamzah.
In
the case tomorrow, Mais is seeking to appeal against a lower court ruling that
granted a 33-year-old mother’s application to revoke the conversion of her five
children to Islam, done unilaterally by her former husband.
The
former husband converted the five children – aged between eight and 14 – in
2018, without the mother’s knowledge and consent.
She
only knew about her children becoming Muslims after receiving a letter from
Mais in 2019.
Source:
Free Malaysia Today
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
--------
Involvement
in politics: Education Ministry reminds teachers not to violate conditions,
neglect duty as educators
24
Jan 2022
KOTA
KINABALU, Jan 24 — The Ministry of Education (MOE) has reminded teachers not to
violate the conditions that offer them the flexibility to be involved in
politics and to continue to abide by current rules set by the department.
Deputy
Education Minister II Datuk Mohamad Alamin said although there were no specifc
guidelines regarding the matter thus far, teachers keen on politics should not
neglect their real duty as educators.
He said
he was happy with the move by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob in
allowing teachers to get involved in politics but, at the same time, worried
that teachers may violate the conditions or be more involved in politics than
their task (as teachers).
“As
such, I want to remind all teachers that although they get involved in
politics, never forget their real duty and don’t ever neglect their task as
teachers,” he told reporters after visiting the Institute of Teachers Education
Gaya Campus here today.
Source:
Malay Mail
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
--------
Surakarta
to commence construction of Islamic Centre next year
January
25, 2022
Surakarta,
Central Java (ANTARA) - The Surakarta municipal government in Central Java
confirmed that construction of an Islamic Centre, sponsored by the United Arab
Emirates Government, will commence next year following the finalisation of the
building's design.
Construction
of the Islamic Centre in Surakarta will be entirely sponsored by the Crown
Prince of the United Arab Emirates, Sheikh Mohammad Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, as a
present for the city.
"(The
construction) may commence next year, as the building's drawing has recently
been finalised," Surakarta Mayor Gibran Rakabuming Raka stated in
Surakarta on Monday.
The
Islamic Centre will be located in the city's Jebres Sub-district, by the east
of the city centre, and close to the existing Solo Techno Park, he noted.
Surakarta's
Sebelas Maret University and the Indonesia Institute of the Arts complex will
also be located a short distance from the Islamic Centre, the mayor affirmed.
"The
Islamic Centre (at its designated location) will conform with the existing
local ecosystem, and the Crown Prince has also consented to the final
location," Raka remarked.
The
mayor remarked that construction of the Islamic Centre will not be hindered
despite the mountainous terrain of the designated location.
Raka
expressed optimism that the Islamic Centre would provide alternative activities
beneficial for residents and boost the religious activities of Muslims in
Surakarta and the adjacent regions.
Apart
from the Islamic Centre in Surakarta, Crown Prince Al Nahyan also plans to
build a new Grand Mosque bearing the name of Sheikh Zayed in the city as a mark
of homage to him upon completion.
Source:
Antara News
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
https://en.antaranews.com/news/211373/surakarta-to-commence-construction-of-islamic-centre-next-year
--------
Johor
PAS says looking to discuss understanding with Umno, BN ahead of state polls
24
Jan 2022
JOHOR
BARU, Jan 24 — Johor PAS is looking to meet with the state Umno leadership to
discuss the understanding between the two parties to face the Johor state
election in the spirit of Muafakat Nasional (MN).
Johor
PAS Liaison commissioner Abdullah Husin said the meeting between the two
parties was to be held today, but it had to be cancelled due to the busy
schedule of Johor Umno Liaison Committee chairman Datuk Hasni Mohammad.
“Maybe
we will meet in the near future,” he said when met at the Johor PAS Office
here.
He
was asked to comment on the statement by Hasni, who is also Johor Barisan
Nasional (BN) chairman, that the state BN planned to contest solo in the state
election.
Abdullah
said he viewed Hasni’s statement as merely the opinion of the state’s Umno and
BN chapters, as any decision on whether BN would contest solo or otherwise
would depend on the decision of the Umno Supreme Council and PAS Central
Committee.
He
said there was still room for discussion under MN with Umno or the state BN,
but no matter what the circumstances were, the party was ready to face state
election.
According
to Abdullah, any decision made from those discussions will not affect Johor
PAS’ preparations for the state polls, and a 15,000-strong PAS election
machinery will be mobilised for the purpose.
Source:
Malay Mail
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
--------
North America
U.S.
Troops Join Assault On Prison In Syria Where Islamic State Holds Hostage
Hundreds Of Boys
January
25, 2022
American
ground forces have joined the fight to retake control of a prison in northeast
Syria where Islamic State group fighters are holding hundreds of boys hostage,
the Pentagon said Monday.
After
four days of U.S. air strikes, the fight has become the biggest known U.S.
engagement with the Islamic State group since the fall of its so-called
caliphate three years ago.
Hundreds
of Islamic State group fighters attacked the makeshift prison in Hasaka, Syria,
on Friday in an effort to free their detained comrades in one of the boldest
attacks by the group in the region in recent years.
The
siege of the prison, which houses about 3,000 suspected Islamic State fighters
and almost 700 boys, has evolved into a hostage crisis with Islamic State group
fighters still holding about one-quarter of the prison and using the boys as
human shields.
The
overcrowded, makeshift prison has long been an avowed target for a resurgent
Islamic State. Housed in a converted technical college, it is the largest of
several prisons in the region holding thousands of fighters detained after the
territorial defeat of the Islamic State group in 2019.
The
U.S.-backed force overseeing the prison, the Syrian Democratic Forces, has
complained for years that it lacked the ability to operate it securely.
The
SDF said that it had recaptured one of the prison’s three buildings in a dawn
raid Monday.
An
SDF spokesman said about 300 Islamic State group fighters had surrendered but
that the Islamic State had threatened to kill the boys if the coalition
continued its assault on the prison.
“We
have some reports saying that ISIS is threatening to kill all the minors if we
continue attacking them,” the spokesperson, Farhad Shami, said, using an
alternative name for the Islamic State group.
In a
voice recording obtained by Human Rights Watch on Sunday, a boy who identified
himself as a 17-year-old Australian said he had been wounded in an air strike
but there was no medical care available.
The
Pentagon said that the coalition had moved in armoured Bradley Fighting
Vehicles to back the SDF forces, indicating for the first time that U.S. ground
forces were involved in the fight. A coalition official said the vehicles had
been fired at and had returned fire.
“We
have provided limited ground support, strategically positioned to assist
security in the area,” John Kirby, the Pentagon spokesperson, told reporters in
Washington. “For instance, putting Bradley Fighting Vehicles across access
points to help block as obstacles.” U.S. military officials said the Bradleys
were being used as barricades while the SDF tightened its cordon around the
prison.
The
United States has also carried out air strikes with Apache helicopter gunships
over the past four days to try to break the siege, killing an unknown number of
prisoners.
The
American troops are part of a residual force of the U.S.-led military coalition
that was kept in Syria to assist in the fight against the Islamic State group
and to protect oil installations. There are about 700 U.S. troops in northeast Syria,
operating mostly from a base in Hasaka, and another 200 near Syria’s border
with Jordan.
Shami
said that 30 SDF fighters had been killed in the operation to take back the
prison and that about 200 Islamic State fighters and inmates who joined them in
an attempt to escape had been killed since Friday. It was not clear how many
prisoners had escaped.
The
siege of the Sinaa prison in Hasaka demonstrated that the Islamic State group
still had the ability to mount a co-ordinated military operation, despite its
territorial defeat by the U.S.-led coalition and Kurdish-led forces three years
ago.
It
has also highlighted the plight of thousands of foreign children brought to the
Islamic State caliphate in Syria by their parents, who have been detained for
three years in camps and prisons in northeastern Syria and abandoned by their
own countries.
The
inmates in Hasaka include boys as young as 12, including Syrians, Iraqis and
about 150 non-Arab foreigners. Some had been transferred to the prison after
they were deemed too old to remain in detention camps that held families of
Islamic State group suspects.
The
Syria director for Save the Children, Sonia Khush, said those holding the
children were responsible for their safety. But she also blamed the foreign
governments for not repatriating their detained citizens and their children.
“Responsibility
for anything that happens to these children also lies at the door of foreign
governments who have thought that they can simply abandon their child nationals
in Syria,” Khush said. “Risk of death or injury is directly linked to these
governments’ refusal to take them home.”
At
its peak, the Islamic State group held territory the size of Britain straddling
Iraq and Syria. An estimated 40,000 foreigners, including children, made their
way to Syria to fight or work for the caliphate.
Thousands
of them brought their young children – too young to understand and much too
young to make a choice. Other children were born there.
When
the last piece of the Islamic State caliphate in Baghuz, Syria, fell three
years ago, surviving women and young children were put in detention camps while
suspected fighters and boys as young as 10 were sent to prison.
The
main detention camp for Islamic State families, Al Hol, is squalid, overcrowded
and dangerous, with not enough food or medical services, not enough guards, and
an increasingly radicalized segment of detainees who terrorize other camp
residents.
When
the boys at the camps become teenagers, they are usually transferred to Sinaa
prison in Hasaka.
Detainees
there, including minors, are packed into overcrowded cells without access to
sunlight. There is insufficient food and little medical care, according to
prison guards in the impoverished breakaway region of Syria known as Rojava.
When
they reach age 18, the youths are placed with the general prison population,
where wounded Islamic State fighters sleep three to a bed. None of the
non-Syrian detainees have been charged with a crime or gone to trial.
While
Rojava authorities run a rehabilitation centre, it has space for only about 150
detainees. When they finish the course, the Syrians are released, but the
non-Syrians are returned to prison.
“We
help them to construct their prisons, to train their staff, to run as good a
prison system as they can, but they are not getting what they need,” said Anne
Speckhard, director of the International Center for the Study of Violent
Extremism. “Prisoners are lying on top of each other.”
Thousands
of Islamic State recruits came from Europe, but most European countries, citing
security concerns, have refused to repatriate their citizens, apart from
orphans. Some have stripped their nationals detained in Syria of citizenship
for joining the Islamic State group.
Source:
The Globe And Mail
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
--------
The
unlikely story of America’s highest ranking Muslim soldier and TikTok favourit
January
24, 2022
By
Joseph Hammond
(RNS)
— Roughly half of the content creators on social media platform TikTok are
under the age of 28. It’s just one reason why the popularity of Army Colonel
Khallid Shabazz, who has some 43,000 followers on the social media platform, is
so surprising.
Most
TikTok users hadn’t even been born when Shabazz joined the military 28 years
ago and are of a generation with few ties to military service — some 71% of
young Americans between 17 and 24 are thought to be ineligible to serve due to
health or other issues, according to a recent report.
Shabazz’s
TikTok account includes a mix of his weightlifting exploits peppered with
Quranic and biblical messages. Aphorisms abound. “If your ship doesn’t come in,
swim out to meet it” appears to be one of his favorites. As a chaplain, Shabazz
is used to handing out nuggets of advice and wisdom to troubled soldiers — the
sort of counsel a younger, more troubled Shabazz could have benefitted from.
Not
long after converting to Islam — facing discrimination from other soldiers,
disappointment from his Lutheran family and with more than one citation for
insubordination on his record — Shabazz was ready to quit the military.
But a
chance encounter with a Christian army chaplain not only convinced him to stay
in the military but to pursue chaplaincy himself.
“Honestly,
it was like a revelation from God,” Shabazz told the Army News Service. “When
it hit my ears, I knew that was what I was going to do in life. It was
incredible.”
Nearly
three decades later, with his 2018 promotion to colonel, Shabazz is the
highest-ranking Muslim chaplain in the U.S. Military. He serves as command
chaplain for U.S. Army Central, the three-star command responsible for land
operations in the Middle East, according to Army Times.
As a
child, Shabazz was molested by a family friend — an experience, he said, that
put him in an emotional tailspin and left him an angry young man. He spent 8th
grade in special education. He failed 9th grade and 12th grade.
After
completing summer school, he enrolled at Jarvis Christian College in Texas, a
historically Black school affiliated with the Disciples of Christ. There he
played on the basketball team and studied with the goal of becoming a minister.
But he fell in with the wrong crowd, he has said, began drinking and partying
and often found himself in violent altercations. It was during one of these drunken
brawls that he was assaulted, beaten with a shovel and shot in the back.
He
survived thanks to a medical evacuation but decided to table his studies. He
went back to Louisiana, his home state. The only job he could find was as a
janitor at K-mart. With few options, like many young men before him, Shabazz
joined the military.
It
was there he first read “The Autobiography of Malcolm X,” also absorbing the
movie starring Denzel Washington when it was released in 1992.
“I
never considered myself a smart person, and I found a lot to inspire me in his
story; Malcolm X had an 8th-grade education but educated himself by reading the
dictionary,” said Shabazz, “I hadn’t seen a strong African-American male like
that in my community. I wanted to be educated and to stand for something bigger
than myself. So I decided to become like Malcolm and even took the last name
Shabazz in imitation of him.”
But
his conversion made him the focus of discrimination in the military. It was a
lot to handle for a young soldier in the 1990s, and he fell into old habits. He
faced disciplinary action for insubordination. He contemplated suicide.
It
was during that time when he met the Christian chaplain.
“I
was getting ready to deploy, possibly to war, and I was crying, and I saw the
chaplain, and I said to myself, ‘If there is a God, please don’t have the
chaplain come over and talk to me,'” Shabazz recalled. “But God had other
plans.”
It
was this chaplain who, after talking to Shabazz, encouraged him to pursue a
role as a Muslim chaplain. He received a master of divinity from Hartford
Seminary, now Hartford University for Religion and Peace, one of few places
offering programs for Islamic chaplaincy. Shabazz was commissioned as a
chaplain in 1998, having studied Arabic in Jordan along the way. He later also
obtained a M.A. in interfaith dialogue from Claremont Lincoln University.
With
his seniority as a colonel, Shabazz is now responsible for tens of thousands of
soldiers and oversees more junior chaplains. Regardless of whether a chaplain
wears a Christian cross, a Muslim crescent, a Jewish Star of David or another
symbol on his uniform, he has to be ready to minister to soldiers of all
faiths.
“The
majority of my job is counseling about domestic issues or critical incident
debriefings, and only 1% of my job is actual religious counseling.”
Still,
in order to better understand Christian soldiers who make up the majority of
the military, Shabazz continued his study of that faith as well. He eventually
obtained a doctorate in Christian theology and religious vocations from North
Texas Theological Seminary. He believes his experience as a practicing member
of both religions has helped to make him a better chaplain.
“It’s
easier today to be a Muslim soldier in the army than when I began. There are a
lot more Muslims represented in the military. Beards are allowed now in the
army, as are hijabs. Arabic classes are now available. Friday service is more
of an established thing. Some bases have mosques and even more have makeshift
musalahs for prayer,” he said, using the Arabic term for a pop-up prayer area.
Shabazz’s
own unlikely success on social media speaks about how times have changed. The
former college basketball player spends long hours at the gym, which offer him
a chance to meet soldiers and inspire them in an informal setting.
It
was at a gym where other soldiers, surprised to find their chaplain in the gym,
encouraged him to join TikTok.
“Last
year when I transferred from the Air Force Reserve to active duty in the Army,
I felt overwhelmed and scared,” said soldier Andy M Niang,” So I reached out to
Col. Shabazz, and his words of encouragement and prayers made me go through
Army basic training like a beast. I dropped from 227 lbs. to 189 lbs. in weight
and ended up an honor graduate.”
According
to Shabazz, there are five Muslim chaplains in the army, three in the Air
Force, and one in the Navy. Shabazz said there is more work to be done. Unlike
other faiths, Shabazz said, he hasn’t encountered any Muslim chaplain
assistants — the non-commissioned officers who assist chaplains in their work.
Source:
Religion News
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click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
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Islamic
State prison break reinforces value of US military protection for Syria's Kurds
Amberin
Zaman
January
24, 2022
Kurdish-led
forces in northeast Syria battled for a fifth day to regain full control of the
country’s largest prison for Islamic State (IS) detainees, as coalition
aircraft bombed jihadi targets in support of the effort to contain the deadliest
violence since the territorial defeat of their so-called “caliphate” in 2019.
A
spokesperson for the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) said the US-backed
multiethnic army had gained control of one of the buildings in the overcrowded
complex, which holds around 5,000 IS suspects, most of them foreign fighters.
Some 300 of them had surrendered, the SDF said. But the group reportedly
retained control of the north wing of the prison. It is now confirmed that
American and British special forces are taking part in the operation to retake
the prison, the Rojava Information Center, an independent research organization
documenting economic and security developments in northeast Syria, said citing
sources on the ground.
On
Monday, coalition officials confirmed they were offering support both from the
air and on the ground.
Around
700 boys being held at the facility were being used as human shields by the
jihadis, according to SDF forces. The UK-based charity Save the Children said
today it had audio testimony suggesting that “there have already been multiple
child deaths and casualties.” The charity noted in a statement, “This included
one boy pleading for help. The SDF stated that the children were being used as
human shields and said yesterday that the responsibility for the children’s
lives lays solely with the fighters inside the prison.” The charity added that
it could not independently confirm the claims.
Most
of the boys, known as the “cubs of the caliphate,” are thought to have been
captured following the fall of Baghouz, the jihadis last patch of territory
that fell in March 2019.
Letta
Tayler, associate director and counterterrorism lead at Human Rights Watch,
asserted in a series of tweets that “some of these boys are [IS] suspects while
many are [IS] suspects’ family members. These boys have not seen a judge or
been charged with a crime. Most never chose to live under [IS].”
Over
170 people, mostly jihadis, have been killed and thousands of civilians
displaced by the fighting since hundreds of the group’s suspected members broke
out of al-Sina’a prison Jan 20. They fled after two vehicles packed with
explosives were detonated by suspected IS militants outside the building. The
SDF said it had lost 27 of its own fighters in the clashes.
The
violence spread to the nearby Ghweiran and al-Zuhour neighborhoods, as IS
fighters stormed civilian houses and killed at least five civilians on the
first night of the attack, according to the Rojava Information Center. It said
one of the civilians had been beheaded, a signature atrocity during four years
of IS rule over large swathes of Syria and neighboring Iraq.
The
World Health Organization said at least 5,500 families had been uprooted from
their homes as a result of the bloody events.
The
chaos at the detention facility was waiting to happen, with a near-identical
plot to free IS prisoners foiled in November. Al-Hol camp, housing some 10,000
women and children from IS, has also been the scene of lethal attacks against
security personnel and fellow prisoners.
The
Kurdish-led autonomous administration has complained bitterly over the refusal
of foreign governments, notably European ones, to repatriate nationals who
joined IS. The US-led coalition has provided millions of dollars in funding
over the years to help improve security at the detention facilities and train
local forces overseeing them.
The
jihadis have been regrouping in SDF-controlled areas for some time, mainly in
Arab majority Deir ez Zor, where they force locals to share the proceeds of oil
produced at makeshift refineries, steal sheep and have been building a network
of collaborators to facilitate their illicit activities. They have also been
escalating attacks inside Iraq, killing 11 Iraqi soldiers in a Jan. 21 attack.
The
Rojava Information Center documented 14 attacks claimed by IS in November
alone.
The
collapse of the Syrian economy and the country’s worst drought in 70 years has
created a fertile breeding ground for IS, though they are nowhere close to
regaining their former strength. US military officials contend that the threat
is “containable.”
"The
coalition is confident in its assessment that the recent [IS] escape attempt
will not pose a significant threat to Iraq or the region," the Combined
Joint Task Force of Operation Inherent Resolve, the US-led international
coalition combatting IS, said in a Jan. 23 statement.
The
past days’ tumult might have called such confident assertions into question.
However, with all eyes trained on Russian military threats against Ukraine,
there is very little chance that the United States will increase present troop
levels in the northeast from an estimated 900 special operation forces deployed
there, diplomatic sources say. The most immediate result will rather be further
funding to harden security at the detention centers.
Aaron
Stein, director of research at the Foreign Policy Research Institute and author
of “The US War Against ISIS,” told Al-Monitor, “The challenge with the prisons
from the get go is that the US wasn’t legally allowed to build specialized
facilities [in northeast Syria]. So you had the SDF converting schools with
small amounts of aid and quiet assistance from the [US] Task Force with basic
security gear and biometrics.” Stein continued, “Then you had overcrowding
because of how many IS folks there were left after the war.”
“It’s
not a great situation, and efforts to offload foreigners — the majority of
which are not European — remain a challenge,” Stein said.
The
bloody revolt will have reminded some increasingly anti-American voices within
the autonomous administration of their vulnerability and the value of
protection provided by US forces. The United States says the mission of its
forces is to degrade IS and prevent its resurgence. But the US presence is also
a bulwark against the regime of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and Turkey and
its Sunni rebel proxies, all of whom are unremittingly hostile to the Kurds.
There
is speculation that the administration’s decision to remove protestors encamped
near a bridge linking its territory to Kurdish-controlled northern Iraq may
have been accelerated if not actually prompted by the unrest. The crossing had
been sealed since Dec. 15 by the Kurdistan Regional Government of Iraq in
response to the violent clashes that erupted between youths demonstrating in solidarity
with the protestors. The SDF had as recently as Jan. 7 refused to act on the
KRG’s demands.
As
Al-Monitor first reported, KRG Prime Minister Masrour Barzani decided last week
to allow aid deliveries over the bridge twice a month following sustained
pressure from the United States. The KRG said, however, that it would not allow
the resumption of commercial and human traffic until the protestors, who were
calling for the return of the bodies of Syrian Kurdish fighters killed in
ongoing military operations by Turkey, left.
The
tents sheltering the protestors were removed by the local authorities over the
weekend, and KRG officials confirmed to Al-Monitor that the crossing would
gradually reopen to all traffic starting Jan. 24.
The
standoff was seen as a test for Mazlum Kobane, commander in chief of the SDF.
Kobane has been accused by KRG officials of failing to assert his authority
over the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK), which has been waging an armed
insurgency against the Turkish state since 1984. PKK commanders played a key
role in assisting the US-led coalition in the battle against IS, and PKK cadres
remain influential in the Syrian Kurdish enclave.
The
youth group that clashed with KRG forces on the border is closely linked to the
PKK and involved in its indoctrination and recruitment activities.
Kobane
and many key members of the autonomous administration used to be active members
of the group. Turkey has touted this as an excuse to launch multiple incursions
against the Syrian Kurds, most recently in October 2019. Turkey has recently
been spreading rumors of a growing rift between Kobane and pro-PKK hawks within
the administration, part of a calculated push to sow the kinds of division it
claims already exist.
Aliza
Marcus, one of the leading Western experts on the PKK and author of “Blood and
Belief, The PKK and the Kurdish Fight for Independence,” discounted the notion
that the PKK had decided to remove the protestors because of the violence in
Hasakah. “The tent protest had gone on for a long time and wasn’t accomplishing
anything. Meanwhile, the closure of the border was actually hurting everyone in
Rojava, including their support base,” Marcus told Al-Monitor. “The PKK can be
very pragmatic, and in this case, they and their activists realized there was
no benefit, just a cost, to continuing. They have lost nothing by abandoning
the protest,” Marcus added.
Source:
Al Monitor
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click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
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US
‘prepared to meet directly’ and ‘urgently’ with Iran on nuclear issue
January
24, 2022
WASHINGTON:
The US State Department on Monday repeated that it remains open to meeting with
Iranian officials directly to discuss the nuclear deal and other issues after
Iran’s foreign minister said Tehran would consider this but had made no
decisions.
Speaking
at a briefing, State Department spokesman Ned Price also said the US had not
made Iran’s releasing four Americans a condition of reaching an agreement for
both nations to resume compliance with the nuclear deal, saying that achieving
such an agreement was an uncertain proposition.
Earlier
on Monday, the State Department said the US was prepared to hold direct talks
with Iran after Tehran said it would consider such an option.
“We
are prepared to meet directly,” a State Department spokesperson said.
“We
have long held the position that it would be more productive to engage with
Iran directly, on both JCPOA negotiations and other issues,” the spokesperson
said, referring to the nuclear deal between Iran and major powers.
The
spokesperson said that meeting directly would allow “more efficient
communication” needed to reach an understanding on what is needed to
resuscitate the 2015 deal.
“Given
the pace of Iran’s nuclear advances, we are almost out of time to reach an
understanding on mutual return to full implementation of the JCPOA,” the
official said.
The
comments came after Iran said Monday it will consider direct talks with the
United States during ongoing negotiations in Vienna aimed at restoring the
deal.
“Iran
is not currently talking with the US directly,” Hossein Amir-Abdollahian said
in televised remarks.
Source:
Arab News
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
https://www.arabnews.com/node/2011111/middle-east
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US
uses missile interceptors to thwart Houthi attack on UAE
Michael
Hernandez
24.01.2022
WASHINGTON
US
forces stationed at a base near Abu Dhabi, the capital of the United Arab
Emirates (UAE), used multiple Patriot missile batteries to intercept missiles fired
by Yemen's Houthi rebels, the military confirmed on Monday.
The
Houthi attack was the second in a week as a Saudi-led coalition, of which the
UAE is a part, ramps up its military campaign against the rebel group.
The
US forces, stationed at al-Dhafra Air Base, "engaged two inbound missile
threats with multiple Patriot interceptors coincident to efforts by the armed
forces of the UAE in the early morning hours of Jan. 24, 2022," Central
Command spokesman Capt. Bill Urban said in a statement.
"The
combined efforts successfully prevented both missiles from impacting the base.
There were no U.S. casualties," he said. "U.S. forces at Al Dhafra
remain vigilant and ready to respond in case of any follow-on attacks."
There
are roughly 2,000 US service members at al-Dhafra.
The
Houthis, who overran much of Yemen in 2014, regularly carry out rocket and
drone attacks on Saudi Arabia, and, beginning last week, on the UAE, saying
they are in retaliation for the Saudi-led coalition's assault on Yemen.
Source:
Anadolu Agency
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UN
says 1,000 tents in NW Syria collapsed, damaged by snow
Michael
Hernandez
24.01.2022
WASHINGTON
Roughly
1,000 tents used by the UN to shelter internally-displaced persons in northwest
Syria have collapsed or been badly damaged by snow, an official said on Monday.
Roughly
100,000 people have been affected by the inclement weather, Mark Cutts, the
UN's deputy humanitarian coordinator for Syria, told reporters at press
conference.
"Many
of these people do not have shovels or other equipment to clear the snow so
they've been clearing snow from the tents with their bare hands," he said.
"You
see pictures of children walking in the snow and on the eyes and their sandals
it's really, uh, you know, particularly bad for the elderly people and people
with disabilities who are living in these torn and ripped and flimsy tents in
these sub-zero temperatures," he added.
Images
from the region captured by Anadolu Agency depict makeshift tent camps badly
damaged by snow amid frigid temperatures as civilians attempt to brave the
harsh winter conditions.
Source:
Anadolu Agency
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
https://www.aa.com.tr/en/americas/un-says-1-000-tents-in-nw-syria-collapsed-damaged-by-snow/2484428
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URL: https://www.newageislam.com/islamic-world-news/salafis-gender-neutral-kerala/d/126237