Abdul Rasul Sayyaf, an India-Based Former Mujahideen Commander Being Seen As Leader of Anti-Taliban Forces
New Age Islam News Bureau
23 November 2021
File photo: Abdul Rasul Sayyaf. (@HekmatKarzai/Twitter)
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• Opponents of the Saudi Government outside the
Country Claim the Death of Former Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Nayef in
Prison
• Taliban Sends Hundreds of Fighters to Eastern
Afghanistan to Wage War against Islamic State
• Islamic World’s 1st Printed Ottoman Atlas Found in
UK Manor's Attic
• US Cracking Down on Finances for Islamic State's
Afghan Affiliate
India
• All India Shia Muslim Personal Law Board Seeks FIR
against Waseem Rizvi
• Setting A Mosque on Fire: Delhi Court Frames Arson
Charges Against Father, Son in 2020 Riots Case
• AIMPLB nominates 3 women to exec panel, gives 30
membership
• Kerala: Calicut University Clears Air on ‘ST Muslim’
Quota, Says, a Mistake by the Backend Team That Handles Its Web Portal
• Extremist Islamist Group's Member Arrested For
Kerala RSS Worker's Murder
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Arab World
• Iraqi Air Force Bombs Islamic State Hideouts in
Mountains
• Iraq's main Shia alliance files lawsuit to annul
election results
• Russia starts patrols close to US-controlled zone in
Syria’s east: Report
• Bahrain arrests ‘terror’ cell caught with weapons,
explosives sourced from Iran
--------
South Asia
• ‘The Bone-Thin Afghan Children Elicit Gasps of
Horror’: International Committee of the Red Cross Chief
• Afghan traders demand subsidized air corridor to
export goods to Chinese markets
• Afghanistan tops the world ranking as the ‘least
happy’ country
• Afghan blind runner won the London Half Marathon
2021
• 'Broader efforts to silence all criticism': Human
rights group raises concern over Taliban crackdown on Afghan media
--------
Europe
• France's alleged involvement in airstrikes on
civilians in Egypt unveiled
• Why can’t British government tackle rising
Islamophobia?
--------
North America
• US blacklists 3 Daesh/ISIS-K leaders as global
terrorists
• US officials warned Israel: Attacks on Iran nuclear
facilities counterproductive
• US envoy Kerry attends signing of UAE, Jordan,
Israel energy deal
• Turkey conveys condolences to US after car rams into
Christmas parade
--------
Mideast
• Dozens of Extremist Jewish Settlers Defile Aqsa
Mosque under Police Guard
• Spokesman: US after Selling More Arms to Regional
States by Anti-Iran Remarks in Manama
• Syrians Give Warm Farewell to Iranian Anti-Terror
General
• Israel’s Netanyahu faces key witness in court
--------
Africa
• Haftar, Seif Al-Islam Must Answer Accusations: Libyan
Prosecutor
• Sudan frees several civilian leaders held since coup
• Ethiopia’s Abiy vows to head to war front amid
Tigray advance
• US says restoration of Sudan premier just 'first
step,' urges more action
• Roadside bomb blast in SW Somalia kills 2 civilians
• MBYA calls on EU to asks Buhari to release traveling
documents of Zakzaky, wife
--------
Pakistan
• Ulema Urge Govt to Hold Accountable Elements
Campaigning Against State Institutions
• Pakistan Government ‘Releases’ Over 100
Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan Prisoners
• Kartarpur Corridor Reunites Two Nonagenarian Friends,
Muhammad Bashir and Sardar Gopal Singh Separated At the Time of Partition
• Amnesty flags Pakistan on enforced disappearances
• Imran to allow return of Afghan patients through
Pakistani territory
• President Of Pakistan: Syria’s Victory over
Terrorism Is Appreciated
• PM Imran okays Rs5bn humanitarian aid for
Afghanistan
--------
Southeast Asia
• Convert all of UDA Holdings Bhd's land bank to 'waqf'
land to only benefit Bumiputera and Malays, Penang group tells Putrajaya
• Malay group chides Kedah MB for repeated verbal
attacks against Penang, warns may be insult on Agong
Compiled by New Age Islam News Bureau
URL: https://www.newageislam.com/islamic-world-news/rasul-sayyaf-mujahideen-taliban-forces/d/125824
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Abdul Rasul Sayyaf, an India-Based Former Mujahideen
Commander Being Seen As Leader Of Anti-Taliban Forces
File photo: Abdul Rasul Sayyaf.
(@HekmatKarzai/Twitter)
----
Nov 23, 2021
By Rezaul H Laskar
Abdul Rasul Sayyaf, an India-based former mujahideen
commander and member of parliament, is being seen as a possible leader who can
rally anti-Taliban forces from Afghanistan that are currently scattered across
several countries.
Sayyaf, believed to be in his mid-70s, has been mooted
as someone who can bring together the diverse groups because of his standing as
both a scholar and a senior Pashtun leader, people familiar with developments
said on condition of anonymity.
He has been based in New Delhi following the fall of
the Ashraf Ghani government and the takeover of Kabul by the Taliban in
mid-August. Sayyaf’s name was pushed forward as Ahmad Massoud, the son of
legendary commander Ahmad Shah Massoud and founder of the National Resistance
Front of Afghanistan, has had little success in uniting different groups, the
people said.
Massoud and Amruallah Saleh, the former Afghan spy
chief and vice president, were seen as potential heads of the resistance forces
but their stock has taken a beating since the fall of the Panjshir Valley to
the Taliban in September. Massoud is currently believed to be operating from
Paris and Dushanbe, while Saleh was reportedly based in the Tajikistan capital
as recently as October.
“Ahmad Massoud does not have the same amount of
experience as a commander as his father. Saleh, on the other hand, is a good
tactician but does not have a popular base,” said one of the people cited
above.
“If they had worked closely together, they might have
been able to put together an effective resistance,” the person added.
Though Saleh has claimed the powers of the Afghan
president and declared himself the head of a government in exile, the people
said he does not have a mass following.
Ustad Sayyaf, as the former mujahideen commander is
popularly known, is respected by Islamic scholars and within Pashtun circles,
the people noted. It was not immediately clear whether Sayyaf had himself
agreed to take on a larger role to bring together the different groups opposed
to the Taliban.
A large number of Afghan politicians have taken refuge
in Turkey, while a sizeable number is based in the Iranian capital of Tehran.
Some of the anti-Taliban groups are also scattered across Central Asia,
especially Tajikistan.
Sayyaf was once linked to al-Qaeda founder Osama bin
Laden and the militants who took control of Kabul after the collapse of the
communist government in the early 1990s. As a former leader of the Northern Alliance,
he has been in contact with Indian diplomats and security officials over the
years.
Sayyaf last played a prominent role in Afghan politics
in 2019, when Ghani chose him to chair a four-day loya jirga or grand council
for peace efforts with the Taliban. Sayyaf has also been very critical of the
Taliban.
These developments come at a time when there are also
divisions within Taliban ranks, especially between the hardliners from the
Haqqani Network and members of the political office based in Doha. Some of the
leaders from the Doha office, including deputy prime minister Abdul Ghani
Baradar and deputy foreign minister Sher Mohammad Abbas Stanikzai, have
favoured a more moderate approach.
“The Taliban are grappling with several problems,
including lack of internal cohesion, poor governance, an impending economic
collapse and a spike in attacks by the Islamic State,” said a second person.
Source: Hindustan Times
Please click the following URL to read the text of the
original story:
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Opponents of the Saudi Government outside the Country
Claim the Death of Former Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Nayef in Prison
Mohammed
bin Nayef
-----
2021-November-22
Opponents of the Saudi government outside the country
have claimed the death of former Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Nayef in
prison, Saudileaks website reported.
Bin Nayef has died in prison since several days ago
and the Saudi royal court has not yet announced his death and his body is in
the morgue, the website quoted them as saying in their social media pages since
yesterday.
Abdul Rahman Razi al-Sahimi, a Saudi opposition
figure, in a post on his twitter page called on Mohammed bin Salman to release footages
of Mohammed bin Nayef’s presence in the jail with audio, video and exact date
to prove that he is still alive.
Al-Sahimi stressed that the video should not be fake.
Earlier this year, Arab media sources had reported
that bin Nayef was in critical conditions and close to death.
The Arabic-language al-Ahd al-Jadid twitter account
quoted sources as saying in July that bin Nayef suffers severe diabetes and has
not received any medication, and this has caused him to lose nearly 22
kilograms in weight.
He also suffers from severe depression and mental
disorders, it added, noting that bin Nayef has been severely tortured, his legs
have been tied off, two agents have beaten him causing bruises all over his
body, he has been deprived of sleep and left with his hands and feet tied and
blindfolded for several days.
Bin Nayef is actually experiencing a gradual death and
the aim is to make his death look natural, al-Ahd al-Jadid wrote, adding that
that the Saudi prince is in critical conditions and his imminent death is
likely.
Bin Nayef, 62, was Saudi Arabia's crown prince and
interior minister. Having survived four assassination attempts, he was arrested
in March 2020 by bin Salman as the de facto Saudi leader, also known as MBS,
moved to consolidate power and sideline rivals.
Bin Nayef was detained without charge. A source
familiar with the matter told NBC News late in June that there is evidence bin
Nayef was held recently at a government compound next to the al-Yamamah Palace
in Riyadh, the official seat of the Saudi royal court, just a few hundred yards
from where MBS hosts foreign dignitaries.
Two people familiar with his situation, who requested
anonymity to avoid repercussions for bin Nayef, said he has lost more than 50
pounds and can no longer walk unaided. He suffered serious injuries to his feet
from beatings, the two sources said, adding that pain medication for previous
injuries was withheld.
"[He] is not allowed outside and is confined to
his own area," one of the sources said. "During the course of the
day, he does not see anyone and has not been allowed access to his personal
doctor or legal representatives."
Source: Fars News Agency
Please click the following URL to read the text of the
original story:
https://www.farsnews.ir/en/news/14000901000671/Srces-Deained-Sadi-Prince-Bin-Nayef-Dead
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Taliban Sends Hundreds of Fighters to Eastern
Afghanistan to Wage War against Islamic State
Taliban sends 1,300 fighters to eastern Afghanistan to
battle Islamic State - The Washington Post
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By Susannah George
November 23, 2021
JALALABAD, Afghanistan — The Taliban has expanded its
shadowy war against the Islamic State branch in Afghanistan, deploying hundreds
more fighters to this eastern province in an increasingly violent fight and
critical test of the group’s counterterrorism abilities after the U.S. troop
withdrawal.
More than 1,300 additional Taliban fighters have been
deployed to Nangahar province in the past month with orders to increase the
tempo of operations, according to Taliban security officials. Taliban night
raids against suspected Islamic State-Khorasan members are on the rise, and
many of the hundreds arrested have disappeared or turned up dead, according to
Jalalabad residents and Taliban fighters.
“The fight is difficult, and yes sometimes it is
brutal, but we have to eradicate Daesh not just for Afghanistan, but for the
entire world,” said Qari Nurullah Fateh, a Taliban fighter under the group’s
intelligence wing in Jalalabad. Daesh is the Arabic acronym for the Islamic
State commonly used in Afghanistan. “If someone doesn’t surrender to us, we
kill them.”
Fateh’s unit carries out multiple search operations
for Islamic State suspects in Jalalabad most nights from sunset until early
morning prayers. Previously, the fighters would only leave base once or twice a
week. Fateh estimated that seven to 10 Islamic State suspects are arrested in
Jalalabad every week and about six are killed.
The Taliban crackdown has sent shock waves through the
province and is emerging in Islamic State recruitment propaganda calling on
Nangahar residents to rise up and resist. It is unclear how many new fighters
have joined the Islamic State’s ranks, but since the Taliban takeover the group
has strengthened, become more active and expanded its presence to nearly every
Afghan province, according to United Nations assessments.
The wave of Islamic State attacks here and across
Afghanistan is the first sustained challenge to the Taliban’s grip on security
since the group took control of the country in August. But the escalating fight
in Nangahar risks overstretching limited Taliban resources and further
alienating many Afghans.
The Islamic State began attacking Jalalabad within
weeks of the Taliban takeover. Local Taliban commanders initially responded by
killing several accused collaborators and hanging their bodies along main roads
and at busy intersections.
“This was a very effective way to respond,” said
Fateh, the Taliban fighter in Jalalabad. “It was a lesson to the people that
this is what happens if you join Daesh. We wanted to show them the
consequences.” Two other elite Taliban fighters confirmed Fateh’s account.
“Myself, I strung up two of the bodies,” Fateh said,
estimating other Taliban fighters hung about 40 more. Dozens of accused
collaborators were beheaded. He said the punishments were carried out in
accordance with Islamic law and were approved by Taliban provincial leadership.
But since the brutal killings, violence has only
increased, according to data collected by local health officials. And some
Jalalabad residents and former Afghan government officials warn that the
Taliban’s approach to restoring order will fan Islamic State recruitment
efforts.
Community leaders in Nangahar have pleaded for the
Taliban to end the killings, warning “otherwise we cannot stop our youth from
joining the [Islamic State] and the beginning of a very brutal era,” said Abdul
Sayed, a London-based researcher of extremist organizations in Afghanistan and
Pakistan, citing statements released via public WhatsApp groups.
At a recent news conference, Taliban spokesman
Zabihullah Mujahid downplayed the threat, saying the Islamic State does not
have any support among Afghans and the group has “largely been dealt with.”
But Khalil Hamraz, the spokesman for the Taliban’s
directorate of intelligence, acknowledged at the same conference that the
Taliban’s military takeover of the country inadvertently bolstered Islamic
State ranks. Taliban attacks on prisons across the country freed jailed Islamic
State members who now threaten security in Afghanistan, he said.
“During the victory of the Islamic Emirate, many Daesh
prisoners unfortunately managed to escape,” he said, but in the months since,
Taliban fighters have arrested about 600 Islamic State suspects and defused
deadly explosives.
Islamic State fighters in Afghanistan are estimated to
number between 2,000 and 3,500 — just a fraction of the approximately 70,000
fighters in the Taliban’s ranks.
The Taliban has engaged in battles with the Islamic
State for years. In 2019, Taliban fighters helped clear much of Nangahar of
Islamic State-held territory, in parallel with a massive U.S.-led operation in
which the United States closely supported Afghan government forces with waves
of airstrikes. U.S. officials said they did not partner with the Taliban but
said Taliban-led offensives on the ground against the Islamic State were
critical to its success.
Islamic State attacks across Afghanistan sharply
declined the following year, but U.S. officials warned that the group could
easily regroup if counterterrorism pressure isn’t applied after the U.S.
withdrawal.
Orders to kill
Even with specialized equipment and elite
counterterrorism units, U.S.-backed Afghan government forces struggled for
years to control Nangahar. Home to formidable terrain, profitable smuggling
routes and mineral deposits close to Kabul, the province is key real estate for
militant groups looking to move fighters and munitions between Pakistan and
Afghanistan.
“These Taliban fighters are not familiar with the
province, and they have no way to check the intelligence they receive about
[Islamic State] targets,” said a Jalalabad resident and former civil society
activist, who, like others in this report, spoke on the condition of anonymity
out of fear of reprisals. “So they just go after anyone they suspect, kill them
and say that person was Daesh.”
He said he knows dozens of families whose homes were
raided and who cannot find their loved ones. Those who are imprisoned by the
Taliban and released, he said, often endured days of torture.
Fateh, the Taliban fighter assigned to the group’s
intelligence wing in Jalalabad, said the top Taliban intelligence commander for
Nangahar, Mohammad Bashir, signs off on all targets before a raid is launched
and has the final say in all sentences delivered to captured suspects.
“Dr. Bashir tells us Daesh is like a virus that will
not just infect Afghanistan, but other countries.” Fateh said, referring to the
45-year-old commander. “So the less dangerous people we bring to prison, but
the most dangerous are the ones we have orders to kill on the spot.”
Bashir declined multiple interview requests. Bilal
Karimi, a deputy Taliban spokesman, would not comment on whether a Taliban
court has ruled that accused Islamic State members should be hung in public or
beheaded.
“However, I can say many of the [Islamic State]
members have been killed in armed clashes,” he said.
Most suspects detained for trial are brought to
Jalalabad’s intelligence compound, Fateh said. If they are sentenced to death,
they are executed and their bodies are dumped in the street outside the
building, he said. In other cases, accused Islamic State members are walked
into an open field on Jalalabad’s outskirts and shot.
“We always inform the neighborhood elder so they can
tell the family where to collect the body for burial,” he said. “We never
desecrate the dead. That is wrong. It’s against Islam.”
Violence spikes
Muhammad Tahir Mubaris, who commands a Taliban unit
that was recently moved from Ghazni to Jalalabad, said extensive networks of
Taliban informants will ultimately help the group achieve what the United
States couldn’t: the complete defeat the Islamic State in Afghanistan.
“It’s because the people trust us. Daesh has no
support here,” he said, leading a patrol convoy through central Jalalabad
traffic on a recent day this month. Unlike the United States, he said, Taliban
raids don’t alienate local populations.
“We saw how the Americans conducted night raids. It
showed us the wrong way to fight,” he said, referring to U.S.-backed operations
that drew criticism from human rights groups. “We don’t just break into a house
and destroy everything. This is our country; we respect the culture.”
The approach does not appear to be working. While the
Taliban’s military takeover ended decades of war for most of Afghanistan,
violence in Nangahar has escalated with near-daily attacks claimed by the
Islamic State. And some Jalalabad residents describe the Taliban raids as more
brutal than those carried out by the United States and its Afghan allies.
Few Taliban fighters are trained or have experience
conducting precision operations in urban areas. After more than two decades of
fighting a guerrilla war, the force is still adjusting to maintaining security
during peacetime. Exponentially increasing the number of operations without
also expanding intelligence capabilities raises the risk that civilians will be
mistaken for Islamic State members.
Already, the number of civilians caught in the
crossfire has surged in Nangahar. Across the province, twice as many people
were killed and injured by roadside bombs, clashes and targeted killings
compared to the month before the government fell, according to a senior member
of the provincial health department. And in Jalalabad, the central hospital
admitted more casualties of war in October than any other month this year,
according to two senior doctors there.
“I can’t remember the last time the numbers of war
wounded were this high,” said one of the doctors at Jalalabad’s main hospital
who has worked in the city’s health sector for years.
Outside his office, the courtyard was full of dozens
of families and groups of Taliban members waiting for news of relatives and
comrades inside.
Thick metal pins poked out of a white gauze wrapping
around Gulzada Osman’s right leg. This month he was knocked off his feet and
sprayed with shrapnel after a passing Taliban pickup truck rolled over a
roadside bomb not far from his home.
Taliban fighters responded with gunfire, he said.
After suffering only minor injuries from the blast, Osman was then shot through
his thigh. “My leg felt like it was burning, but when I looked down I just saw
blood everywhere,” he said.
The explosive was probably placed by an Islamic State
fighter or by someone paid by the group to target the Taliban, according to
former local officials and analysts. Unlike recent bombings claimed by the
militants elsewhere in Afghanistan, in Nangahar, Islamic State attacks are
smaller in scale: roadside bombs targeting Taliban convoys and drive-by
shootings of Taliban fighters stationed at checkpoints.
Islamic State attacks are expected to rise as the
Taliban ramps up operations in Nangahar, according to the former Afghan
security officials.
“The people are more than upset,” said one of the
former officials of rising violence and civilian casualties. “Before the
government collapse many thought the Taliban could be a better way. But if the
fight continues like this, there will be a wave of people joining Daesh.”
Source: Washington Post
Please click the following URL to read the text of the
original story:
https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2021/11/22/taliban-isis-afghanistan/
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Islamic World’s 1st Printed Ottoman Atlas Found in UK
Manor's Attic
Dreweatts auction house said the Ottoman atlas was the
first printed in the Islamic World (Dreweatts/PA)
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NOV 22, 2021
An Ottoman atlas found in the attic of the historical
house Weston Hall in the Northamptonshire region of Britain was sold for 86,250
pounds ($115,850) at auction.
Only 50 copies of the Ottoman atlas that belonged to
the Sitwell family and were kept at the manor for more than 300 years were ever
printed, according to an Anadolu Agency (AA) report quoting the BBC.
Dreweatts Auction House stated that the Ottoman atlas
in question was "the first atlas printed in the Islamic world."
The extremely rare atlas sold to a British buyer for
86,250 pounds, more than four times the pre-auction estimate.
The atlas contains 24 hand-colored maps showing
different parts of the world.
'A fascinating object'
Denise Kelly, an expert at Dreweatts Auctions,
commented on the atlas: "This is a great atlas. The condition of the
binding, the geographic maps and the celestial map is outstanding. It's a
fascinating item to sell."
It is believed that the atlas was brought to Britain
by Gen. Lord Hely-Hutchinson, a member of the Sitwell family.
Meanwhile, the rector of the National Defense
University (MSÜ), professor Erhan Afyoncu, spoke about the intriguing story and
features of the atlas to Turkish daily Sabah. Afyoncu explained where and how
the atlas, which has the distinction of being the first printed in the Islamic
world, was produced.
'Known as the Üsküdar Atlas'
The professor said: "The atlas prepared by W.
Faden was translated into Turkish by Resmi Mustafa Ağa and published as the
Atlas-ı Kebir Tercümesi (Cedid Atlas Tercümesi). It is also known as the
'Üsküdar Atlas.'"
24 color maps
"This work, which is the first atlas printed in
the Islamic world, has 24 colored maps. The maps are hand-colored. The atlas is
36x53 (centimeters) in size. The maps are larger in size," he outlined.
Only 50 ever printed
Afyoncu further explained: "Therefore, very few
atlases have survived to the present day. It is estimated that there are around
20 atlases in complete and incomplete copies today. Only 50 copies of the atlas
were printed, excluding the copies given to the sultan, statesmen and the
mühendishane (imperial engineering school) library, which burnt down during the
Alemdar Incident while they were in the mühendishane warehouse."
A few years back, another copy of the scarcely printed
atlas that was unwittingly being kept in the archives of the National Library
of Norway was discovered in Norway in 2017.
Source: Daily Sabah
Please click the following URL to read the text of the
original story:
https://www.dailysabah.com/life/history/islamic-worlds-1st-printed-atlas-found-in-uk-manors-attic
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US Cracking Down on Finances for Islamic State's
Afghan Affiliate
FILE - Afghan security forces take part in an ongoing
operation against Islamic State militants in the Achin district of Nangarhar
province, Nov. 25, 2019.
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November 22, 2021
WASHINGTON —
The United States is taking aim at the Islamic State's
affiliate in Afghanistan, sanctioning some of the group's top officials as well
as a financier charged with bolstering the terror group's numbers with foreign
fighters.
The State Department on Monday designated senior
Islamic State Khorasan leaders Sanaullah Ghafari, Sultan Aziz Azam, and Maulawi
Rajab as Specially Designated Global Terrorists (SDGTs).
The designation clears the way for Washington to block
them and their associates from accessing money and assets that come into contact
with the U.S. financial system.
Sanaullah Ghafari, also known as Sanaullah or Shahab
al-Muhajir, has led IS-Khorasan since about May 2020, when Afghan government
forces captured his predecessors.
Intelligence shared with United Nations counterterrorism
officials earlier this year indicated that Ghafari had been operating out of
the Kabul area, where the group had established a strong network of sleeper
cells.
Additionally, the U.S. Treasury Department on Monday
sanctioned Ismatullah Khalozai, describing him as a top financier and
facilitator for the IS Afghan affiliate, also known as ISIS-K.
Khalozai "has carried out missions for senior
ISIS leadership," according to a Treasury Department statement, which
added he is also responsible for "facilitating the movement of foreign
fighters who seek to escalate tensions in Afghanistan and the region."
Treasury officials said Khalozai most recently
operated a money transfer scheme out of Turkey and that he previously ran an
operation out of the United Arab Emirates, raising money for IS-Khorasan
through the resale of luxury goods.
Despite having been pushed out from its territorial
strongholds following pressure from both the U.S. and the Taliban through the
first half of 2020, IS-Khorasan has mounted a comeback, growing significantly
since the U.S. pulled the last of its forces from Afghanistan this past August.
The top U.N. diplomat in Afghanistan warned last week
that IS-Khorasan "seems to be present in nearly all provinces and
increasingly active."
Top U.S. defense and intelligence officials have
likewise warned the terror group could regenerate the capacity to attack U.S.
and Western interests around the world in as little as six months.
U.S. officials estimate IS-Khorasan now has at least
2,000 "hardcore" fighters, mostly organized in cells across the
country.
Those numbers have already been bolstered as a result
of the Taliban decision to empty out key prisons as their forces advanced
across Afghanistan in August.
International counterterrorism officials and
independent experts have also raised concerns that IS-Khorasan could get an
additional boost from foreign fighters.
Chatter intercepted following the Taliban takeover of
Afghanistan indicated IS supporters from outside the region were expressing a
desire to travel to Afghanistan to join the fight there.
Source: VOA News
Please click the following URL to read the text of the
original story:
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India
All India Shia Muslim Personal Law Board seeks FIR against Waseem Rizvi
Nov 23, 2021
The All India Shia Muslim Personal Law Board (AISMPLB)
on Monday approached Lucknow police commissioner DK Thakur, demanding an FIR
(First Information Report) against former Uttar Pradesh Shia Waqf Board
chairman Waseem Rizvi for authoring a controversial book titled “Muhammad”.
The All India Shia Muslim Personal Law Board blamed
Waseem Rizvi for making “blasphemous” comments about the Prophet his book.
“We met the police commissioner and demanded FIR
against Waseem Rizvi for writing the book, Muhammad, that is purely an insult
to the Prophet and an attempt to hurt religious sentiments of the people,” said
Maulana Yasoob Abbas, general secretary of AISMPLB.
Prior to this, the All India Shia Muslim Personal Law
Board had also served a notice on Waseem Rizvi, demanding withdrawal of his
alleged statement against the Prophet.
If registered, this would perhaps be the first FIR in
Uttar Pradesh in the matter against Waseem Rizvi. On November 17, All India
Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) president Asaduddin Owaisi had submitted a
complaint at the Kamatipura police station in Hyderabad.
Owaisi’s complaint alleges that Waseem Rizvi has used
“objectionable language” against the Prophet in his book.
In response, Rizvi had said Owaisi should have read
the book before lodging the FIR.
“Owaisi should have first gone through my book that is
based on all facts before reacting,” Waseem Rizvi had said in a video statement
he released on November 20 morning.
Source: Hindustan Times
Please click the following URL to read the full text
of the original story:
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Setting A Mosque on Fire: Delhi Court Frames Arson
Charges Against Father, Son in 2020 Riots Case
November 23, 2021
A Delhi court has framed charges of arson against a
man and his son, accused of setting a mosque on fire during last year’s
Northeast Delhi riots.
Additional Sessions Judge Virender Bhat framed charges
under sections of arson and rioting, among others, against the accused, Mithhan
Singh and his son Jony Kumar.
The complainant, Israfil, alleged that Singh and Kumar
were part of a violent mob that was raising slogans of ‘Jai Shri Ram’ on
February 25, 2020, and set his house ablaze.
Israfil managed to escape by jumping to the roof of
Fatima Masjid but the accused started damaging the mosque, alleged the
complaint.
The complainant further alleged that Mithhan handed a
gas cylinder to his son and exhorted him to throw it towards the mosque.
He alleged that after throwing the cylinder, the duo
threw bottles filled with inflammable substances towards the mosque.
The lawyers for the accused had argued for discharge,
pointing to the delay in filing witness statements and alleging that they were
planted.
The court held that “it cannot be said that the delay
in recording statements of these witnesses was intentional or contumacious” and
the “truthfulness or otherwise of these witnesses can be assessed only during
the trial of this case”.
Source: Indian Express
Please click the following URL to read the full text
of the original story:
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AIMPLB nominates 3 women to exec panel, gives 30
membership
Nov 23, 2021
AYODHYA: Empowering Muslim women in India's top
Islamic organization run by senior clerics, the All-India Muslim Personal Law
Board (AIMPLB) during its recently held two-day general body meeting in Kanpur
has allotted membership to 30 Muslim women from various fields and appointed
three women as executive panel members.
The newly appointed women members do not hold any
religious title or madrasa degree, but are endowed with the experience of
serving society as per Sharia laws.
Source: Times of India
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Kerala: Calicut University Clears Air on ‘ST Muslim’
Quota, Says, a Mistake by the Backend Team That Handles Its Web Portal
K.M. Rakesh
23.11.21
Calicut University has denied creating a new
reservation category for Muslim students from Lakshadweep, blaming the
controversy on a mistake by the backend team that handles its web portal.
The university in Kerala is a favourite among students
from the archipelago, and already offers them reservation based on their
domicile and not religion.
Recently, its website showed “ST-Muslim” as a
reservation category for postgraduate studies, prompting some to infer that the
university had introduced a new quota for the islanders.
The university’s admission director, Binoj Sebastian,
on Monday told The Telegraph this was a mistaken label for the domicile-based
Lakshadweep quota and had now been corrected.
The university sets aside two undergraduate seats in
each department and one seat each in every postgraduate department on its
campus and at all its affiliated colleges for students from Lakshadweep.
Although the people of Lakshadweep are classified as
Scheduled Tribe, Calicut University provides them with a separate quota over
and above the Other Backward Classes, Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and
other quotas.
University syndicate member P. Rasheed Ahammed told
this newspaper he had called the vice-chancellor’s office after the “ST-Muslim”
tag was spotted on the web portal and was told that varsity officials were looking
into the matter.
“There’s a lurking danger in such a classification,
whatever may be the excuse. The reservation for students from Lakshadweep is
not based on their religion. I know people (from Lakshadweep) who don’t follow
any religion or are Hindus or Buddhists,” Ahammed, assistant professor of
Arabic at a private college in Malappuram, said.
“Such a classification could give rise to friction
between communities since ‘ST-Muslim’ could be misconstrued as Muslims grabbing
seats meant for other communities.”
Sebastian said: “It was only a random name used by the
website developer…. Perhaps this confusion wouldn’t have happened had it been
some other title like ‘LD’ (Lakshadweep). We have changed that nomenclature.”
He added that Muslims from Kerala have eight per cent
reservation in the state’s universities and the seats reserved for students
from Lakshadweep do not fall under that category.
“Let me assure everyone that all the reserved seats
would go only to the specific categories,” Sebastian said.
Another syndicate member, who declined to be named,
linked the controversy to recent developments such as the Lakshadweep
administration’s sundering of all ties with Calicut University.
The Lakshadweep administration had in August scrapped
the BA and MA Arabic courses run by Calicut University on the archipelago. This
month, it shifted all the other courses the university taught in Lakshadweep to
Pondicherry University.
This was seen as part of the “saffron agenda” that
Lakshadweep administrator Praful Khoda Patel is accused by some of imposing on
the Muslim-majority islands since taking charge last December.
Source: Telegraph India
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Extremist Islamist Group's Member Arrested For Kerala
RSS Worker's Murder
November 22, 2021
Palakkad (Kerala): An office-bearer of the Popular
Front of India (PFI) was today arrested in connection with the killing of an
RSS worker in Palakkad district of Kerala, police said here.
The district police chief R Viswanadh told reporters
here that the arrested activist was directly involved in the killing of A
Sanjith at Mambaram in the district. Police said the other culprits would be
arrested soon.
The identity of the office-bearer has not been
disclosed as his identification parade has to be conducted as part of the
investigation.
The victim's wife had said she could identify the
people who came in a car and killed her husband.
Sanjith (27) was hacked to death on November 15 while
he was taking his wife to her workplace, the police had said.
Earlier today, police said they have taken three
people into custody.
The BJP and Sangh Parivar organisations have alleged
that the activists of Social Democratic Party of India (SDPI), the political
offshoot of Islamist outfit Popular Front of India (PFI), were behind the broad
daylight murder.
SDPI has rejected the allegations.
Meanwhile, BJP State president K Surendran met Union
Home Minister Amit Shah in New Delhi, seeking a probe by the National
Investigation Agency (NIA) into the killing.
In a letter to the Home Minister, a copy which was
made known, the BJP leader alleged that 10 RSS-BJP activists were killed in
Kerala by alleged jihadi groups in the last five years. He alleged that so far
about 50 Sangh Parivar activists were killed by them in the State.
Source: ND TV
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Arab World
Iraqi air force bombs Islamic State hideouts in
mountains
November 22, 2021
The Iraqi air force conducted airstrikes against the
Islamic State (IS) in the Hamrin mountains today, the military announced.
Iraqi pilots in Czech-made Aero L-159 Alca fighter
jets bombed hideouts and equipment belonging to IS in the mountains, which are
located in the northern Diyala province. The targets were successfully
destroyed, the Security Media Cell said on Facebook.
Iraqi and Kurdistan Region forces have attributed
several recent attacks to IS. In early October, a man detonated himself in a vehicle
in the western Anbar province. Later that month, IS attacked a Shiite tribe in
Diyala, which prompted retaliatory attacks on Sunni civilians in the area. IS
also killed two of the Kurdistan Region’s peshmerga soldiers in an ambush in
late October.
The Iraqi air force regularly strikes purported
Islamic State targets and areas used by unspecified “terrorist” groups. They
also bombed a tunnel used for weapons smuggling in the northern Salah ad-Din
province last week.
Iraqi forces defeated IS in 2017, backed by the US-led
military coalition. The group has remained active since then, however,
particularly in Sunni majority areas and territories disputed between the
federal and Kurdistan Region governments. IS’s continued presence is one factor
pushing Iraqis to emigrate abroad.
Source: Al Monitor
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Iraq's main Shia alliance files lawsuit to annul
election results
November 22, 2021
Iraq's Fateh Alliance, the country's most prominent
Shia coalition, yesterday announced that it had filed a lawsuit with the
Federal Court to annul the parliamentary elections results.
Leader of the alliance, Hadi Al-Amiri, said
"sufficient evidence" had been submitted to the Federal Court on
Thursday "to annul the results of the parliamentary elections".
The Fateh Alliance includes the political wing of
Asaib Ahl Al-Haq, which the United States has designated a terrorist
organisation, and the Badr Organisation, which has ties with Tehran and fought
alongside Iran in the 1980-88 Iran-Iraq war. The Shia paramilitaries all played
a major role in defeating Daesh when it took over a third of Iraq between 2014
and 2017.
In 2018, the alliance came second in the country's
parliamentary elections with 48 seats, however, in the last elections, it attained
only 16 seats.
Yesterday, the Independent High Electoral Commission
said the final results of the elections will be announced within two days.
Source: Middle East Monitor
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Russia starts patrols close to US-controlled zone in
Syria’s east: Report
22 November ,2021
Russia’s military has begun patrolling a demarcation
line between zones controlled by the US-led international coalition’s forces
and Russian forces in eastern Syria, the TASS news agency cited Moscow as
saying on Monday.
“It’s the boundary that divides the territory
controlled by the international anti-terrorist coalition, the ‘East’ zone, and
the ‘West’ zone controlled by Russia’s forces. Until now there were no patrols
by Russian servicemen,” a spokesman for Russia's military was quoted as saying.
Source: Al Arabiya
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Bahrain arrests ‘terror’ cell caught with weapons,
explosives sourced from Iran
22 November ,2021
Bahrain authorities have arrested several people they
described as a “terrorist cell” for planning attacks targeting security and
civil entities, according to state-run news agency report.
“Within the framework of security efforts to preserve
the security of the homeland and in a proactive security operation in
cooperation with the National Intelligence Service, the Investigation and
Criminal Evidence Department announced the arrest of terrorist elements who
began planning and preparing for terrorist operations targeting security and
civil peace, and the seizure of weapons and explosives sourced from Iran with
those elements associated with terrorist groups are in Iran,” read a report by
the Bahrain News Agency.
Last November, Bahrain's High Criminal Court sentenced
51 defendants to prison terms ranging between five years and life in prison on
charges of forming and joining a terrorist group which took orders from Iran's
Revolutionary Guards (IRGC).
The US has also designated an Iran-backed extremist
group based in Bahrain as a terrorist organization, citing its threat to US
national security and foreign policy.
Source: Al Arabiya
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South Asia
‘The Bone-Thin Afghan Children Elicit Gasps of
Horror’: International Committee of the Red Cross Chief
23 November,2021
The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC)
has issued a stark warning on the worsening crisis in Afghanistan, saying the
man-made catastrophe will lead to millions of people across the unstable
country facing death without urgent humanitarian help.
Dominik Stillhart, the director of operations for the
independent aid agency, paid a six-day visit to Afghanistan and said in a
statement that he was “livid” by what he saw.
“Pictures viewed from afar of bone-thin children
rightly elicit gasps of horror,” he said. “When you’re standing in the
pediatric ward in Kandahar’s largest hospital, looking into the empty eyes of
hungry children and the anguished faces of desperate parents, the situation is
absolutely infuriating.”
More than 22 million Afghans will face crisis or
emergency levels of acute hunger between November and March 2022, according to
latest estimates.
“It’s so infuriating because this suffering is
man-made,” said Stillhart. “Economic sanctions meant to punish those in power
in Kabul are instead freezing millions of people across Afghanistan out of the
basics they need to survive.”
“The international community is turning its back as
the country teeters on the precipice of man-made catastrophe.”
Sanctions on banking services are sending the economy
into free-fall and holding up bilateral aid, said Stillhart.
Municipal workers, teachers, and health staff have
also not been paid in five months.
“They walk up to two hours to work instead of taking
public transportation. They have no money to buy food; their children go
hungry, get dangerously thin, and then die.”
At the pediatric intensive care unit the International
Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) supports at Mirwais Regional Hospital in
Kandahar, the number of children suffering from malnutrition, pneumonia and
dehydration more than doubled from mid-August to September, according to ICRC.
More broadly, severe and moderate global acute
malnutrition is up 31 percent around Kandahar compared to the same period in
2020.
Region by region the severity of child malnutrition
can be up to three times the emergency rating.
“This is a serious food crisis even before the worst
of winter sets in,” said Stillhart. “Amid a sea of heartache is one small
silver lining: The ICRC on Monday began supporting 18 regional and provincial
hospitals and the 5,100 staff who work in them to help prevent total collapse
of the public health system in Afghanistan.”
This support, slated to last six months, includes
funding for running costs and medical supplies, and will ensure the continuity
of nearly half a million medical consultations per month.
“But it’s not enough,” said Stillhart. “Drought,
failed harvests, and the economic collapse are all driving the increase in
malnutrition. Rising food costs are pushing proteins and other staples out of
reach. As the harsh winter sets with temperatures below freezing, the suffering
will be immense as people lack the cash to heat their homes.”
Stillhart said states must engage with Afghanistan.
“This is the only way to prevent a total collapse of
essential services like health care and education. Political considerations
should not interfere with humanitarian action. A political solution must be
found to avoid irreparable humanitarian consequences.”
“And this is technical but important. Foreign
assistance to Afghanistan is currently put in question as donors ask themselves
how they can comply with their legal obligations stemming from relevant UN
Security Council resolutions. Simply put, some donors feel they can either
comply with the resolutions and their own law -- thereby denying life-saving
assistance -- or provide such assistance through organizations such as the ICRC
and others.”
Suppliers and banking services will have similar
impediments, he said.
“The ICRC is calling for a clear carve-out for
impartial humanitarian organizations engaged in exclusively humanitarian
activities, and for its translation into domestic legislation. It is in
everyone’s interest to see humanitarian activities operating smoothly in
Afghanistan.”
“Amid what we know will be a tragic winter, the ICRC
will step up its response to the most urgent humanitarian needs, but
humanitarian assistance is only part of the solution. The existing and
projected needs are beyond any humanitarian organization’s capacity to deal
with or solve.”
Source: Al Arabiya
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Afghan traders demand subsidized air corridor to
export goods to Chinese markets
Nov 22, 2021
KABUL: Demanding a subsidized air corridor for
exporting goods to the Chinese markets, the Afghan traders said that the air
corridor would be too expensive if the government didn't implement a subsidy
system.
"The world countries or so-called donors stopped
supporting the subsidy system. This brings a big change. Earlier, the expense
for Afghan goods would be less and the Afghan goods were sold in the
international markets. We were even able to compete with other countries,"
said Mahbobullah Mohammadi, a trader, reported Tolo News.
Meanwhile, some Afghan traders in China said that they
were expecting more goods to arrive from Afghanistan.
"The goods include carpets, raisins, and precious
stones that will arrive in the China market," said Salman Reha, an Afghan
trader based in China.
The chamber of commerce and investment said that China
pledged to facilitate exports of Afghan fresh fruit to its markets.
The acting head of the chamber, Mohammad Younus
Momand, said that Afghanistan exported only pine nuts to China so far, reported
Tolo News.
"1,000 tons of pine nuts were exported to China
via air-corridor. 5,000 tons were exported by other routes. We are trying to
increase the exports," he said.
The Afghanistan Civil Aviation Authority (ACAA) said
that cargo flights have been sent to some countries.
Source: Times of India
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Afghanistan
tops the world ranking as the ‘least happy’ country
23
Nov 2021
Afghanistan
has once again been recognized as the ‘least happy’ country in the world
according to the World Population Review 2021 report.
“The
least happy country in the world for 2021 was Afghanistan, whose 149th-place
ranking of 2.523 can be attributed in part to a low life expectancy rate and
low gross domestic product rates per capita. It’s worthwhile to note that the
report was released before the recent Taliban takeover of Afghanistan, which
will undoubtedly impact future scores in one way or another”, the World
Population Review reported.
According
to the report, Finland, Denmark, Switzerland, Iceland, Netherland, Norway,
Sweden, Luxemburg, New Zealand, and Austria are the top 10 happiest nations in
the world.
Afghanistan,
Zimbabwe, Rwanda, Botswana, Lesotho, Malawi, Haiti, Tanzania, Yamen, and
Burundi are the top 10 least happy countries in the world.
Afghanistan
had secured the top position amongst the least happy nations in 2020 as well.
The country has gone through serious war and insecurity for the last 42 years.
Millions
of Afghans have been either internally displaced due to the violence and
poverty or have been emigrated and are living as refugees mostly in Pakistan,
Iran, India, Turkey, and European countries.
This
comes as very recently, the fall of the country in the hands of the Taliban
which is believed to have happened as a result of the mismanagement in the
Afghan government and fleeing of the President once again took the country into
total chaos.
Hundreds
of thousands of Afghan citizens had to emigrate soon after the country
collapsed on August 15 as the Taliban took the capital Kabul facing no military
resistance.
The
aid-driven economy of Afghanistan is on the verge of collapse as the
international community has abandoned the Taliban regime and has said not to
recognize them, but they must form an inclusive government and share the power
with other ethnic and religious groups.
Source:
Khaama Press
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Afghan
blind runner won the London Half Marathon 2021
22
Nov 2021
A
story of superhuman courage, willpower, and overcoming a life-changing injury.
Wali
Mohammad Nouri, the country’s blind athlete, won the half marathon in London.
Nouri
ran ten kilometers yesterday in the final round of the half marathon race and
won first place among 500 runners.
Wali
Noori was involved in a Taliban ambush and suffered serious injuries as well as
the loss of his sight.
Source:
Khaama Press
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https://www.khaama.com/afghan-blind-runner-won-the-london-half-marathon-20210-710/
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'Broader
efforts to silence all criticism': Human rights group raises concern over
Taliban crackdown on Afghan media
Nov
23, 2021
The
Human Rights Watch (HRW) on Monday (local time) raised concerns regarding the
imposition of strict new media guidelines in Afghanistan by the Taliban that
especially harm women.
The
HRW in a statement said Taliban intelligence officials have issued death
threats against journalists who have criticized Taliban officials and have
required journalists to submit all reports for approval before publication.
New
guidelines from the Vice and Virtue Ministry dictate the dress of female
journalists on television and prohibit soap operas and entertainment programs
featuring female actors, the rights group said.
"The
Taliban's new media regulations and threats against journalists reflect broader
efforts to silence all criticism of Taliban rule," said Patricia Gossman,
associate Asia director at HRW. "The disappearance of any space for
dissent and worsening restrictions for women in the media and arts is
devastating."
Several
journalists said that they have been summoned by local officials immediately
after publishing reports on Taliban abuses. One journalist who had reported
complaints about Taliban searching houses and beating people said that the
deputy governor called him into his office and told him that if he broadcast
anything like that again, "He would hang me in the town square."
Other
media staff have reported that heavily armed Taliban intelligence officials
visited their offices and warned journalists not to use the word
"Taliban" in their reporting but to refer to the "Islamic
Emirate" in all publications.
Last
week, the Taliban's Ministry for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice
prohibited broadcasting any films deemed to be "against Islamic or Afghan
values," along with soap operas and dramas featuring women actors, and
made the hijab - a head covering exposing the face - compulsory for women
television journalists.
The
Taliban have also pressed the media, especially in the provinces, to publish
the reports they want and have ordered journalists in some instances to
interview them, the rights group said. One journalist said: "After they
threatened us with death, we published what they said. Now we broadcast Quranic
verses at the beginning of the programs and naat [Islamic songs] because we
fear for our safety."
Source:
Hindustan Times
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Europe
France's
alleged involvement in airstrikes on civilians in Egypt unveiled
Yusuf
Özcan
22.11.2021
PARIS
An
investigative website has revealed France's alleged involvement in aerial
attacks on civilians in a joint "covert operation" with Egypt at the
Libyan border in 2016-2018.
A
number of classified documents from the French Directorate of Military
Intelligence, Armed Forces Ministry and Armed Forces General Staff revealed a
secret French intelligence operation in Egypt, called Operation Sirli,
according to Disclose website.
On
July 25, 2015, then-Defense Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian, who is current French
foreign minister, flew to the Egyptian capital Cairo with then-DRM head Gen.
Christophe Gomart where they met with then-Egyptian Defense Minister Sedki
Sobhy.
According
to the website, the controversial operation was born on the very same day,
without signing any official agreement.
Sharing
intelligence data with Egypt as of February 2016, French forces involved in the
operation informed their superiors that Egypt targeted civilians accused of
drug smuggling, and not terrorists, with the information provided by France,
according to Disclose.
Speaking
on the condition of anonymity, an official source told Disclose: "Only
civilians were killed (in the operation). The terrorists are not found in this
part of the desert, they are mainly located in the Sinai, at the far northeast
of the country."
Meanwhile,
the “confidential-defense” documents obtained by Disclose revealed that the
French forces were involved in at least 19 airstrikes against civilians between
2016 and 2018, resulting in killing of hundreds of civilians.
The
report said that the DRM and French Air Force after two years since the start
of operation expressed their concerns to the Elysee Palace over indiscriminate
strikes.
However,
it added that French Minister for the Armed Forces Florence Parly's letter to
her Egyptian counterpart from July 31, 2017 read: "You can rest assured
that DRM will continue to be your fully committed partner."
Despite
all the alleged evidence of French complicity in the killings of civilians, the
investigative website said that "the French army is still deployed in the
Egyptian desert."
In
May, Disclose revealed that Egypt signed an agreement to purchase Rafale
fighter jets from France, a deal worth €3.75 billion ($4.52 billion).
It
revealed that a major weapons sale by France to Egypt was "secretly"
signed on April 26 at the request of Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi.
Source:
Anadolu Agency
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Why
can’t British government tackle rising Islamophobia?
November
22, 2021
The
opposition Labour Party has called on the ruling Conservatives to “get serious”
and address the problem of Islamophobia in Britain as new data reveals that
last year nearly half of all religious hate crimes targeted Muslims. But is
this something the Tories can live up to when an internal probe found
“anti-Muslim sentiment remains a problem within the party.”
Statistics
by the Home Office show the number of offenses against British Muslims in
2019/20 made up 50% of all religious hate crimes reported, compared to 45% in
2020/21. The real number of course can be much higher as not all Muslims report
hate crimes committed against them to the police, authorities or even
monitoring groups.
The
Labour Party chairwoman Anneliese Dodds has told her Conservative counterpart
Oliver Dowden to not just tackle Islamophobia in British society but also
within his own party.
In
a letter, Dodds said Muslims “remained consistently, and especially, vulnerable
to religiously motivated hate crimes, a trend that shows no signs of abating
under the Conservative Government.”
She
also raised questions whether the Singh investigation released earlier this
year “presented a full picture of Islamophobia within your own party” and said
Labour will be closely monitoring the approaching deadlines the party had set
itself for responding to the probe.
In
May, a long awaited investigation into Islamophobia within the Conservative
Party headed by Professor Swaran Singh (the Singh investigation) was published
and found that two-thirds of discriminatory incidents reported to the party’s
hierarchy over six years involved anti-Muslim hatred.
Dodds’
letter also said the Conservative Party refuses to use the term Islamophobia,
instead referring to “anti-Muslim hatred,” which was “undermining [the party’s]
credibility over tackling this problem.”
In
May, then Tory chairwoman Amanda Milling said the party had accepted all the
recommendations outlined by the Singh report. She said: “We held this
investigation to address these allegations to make sure that any instances of
discrimination are isolated and to look at how we can improve and strengthen
our complaints process.”
But
Dodds – who is also shadow women and equalities secretary – notes that the
Conservative party have a long way to go saying “It’s about time the
Conservatives got serious about tackling Islamophobia in our society and in
their own ranks. They can’t do that if they won’t even name it.”
She
noted, “the Tories have dragged their feet on this issue for far too long.” She
has called for changing attitudes within the government and “that change must
start at the top of this Conservative Government.”
It
was recently revealed that the Prime Minister himself Boris Johnson has not
even responded to a call by MPs to take action on Islamophobia for a year now.
In November 2020, Afzal Khan, a member of the All-Party Parliamentary Group
(APPG) on British Muslims, wrote to the prime minister and warned about a rise
in anti-Muslim hate crime and questioned “the inaction of this government in
tackling the issue.”
An
official guide says government departments should respond to correspondence
from MPs within 20 working days, but a year has gone by and Khan has yet to
receive any response. Khan has called the lack of response “shocking and wholly
unacceptable” and urged the prime minister to at least make a statement to MPs
on Islamophobia. His 2020 letter, seen by some British media outlets, accused
the government of strengthening “disgraceful racism” towards Muslims with
actions during the coronavirus pandemic, including a sudden regional lockdown
on the eve of the annual Muslim occasion of Eid al-Adha.
Khan
wrote, “It contributed to a deeply concerning, and false, far-right narrative
that British Muslims are ‘spreading corona’, as prime minister it is your duty
to protect and safeguard all communities. However, I am disappointed, if not
surprised, at the inaction of this government in tackling the issue of
Islamophobia, which is clearly growing.”
The
Singh investigation was commissioned after accusations of Islamophobic behavior
by Tory party members and representatives. It considered cases including a 2018
column written by Johnson comparing Muslim women to “letterboxes” and “bank
robbers.” The review said such incidents “give an impression to some of a party
and leadership insensitive to Muslim communities.”
The
government was previously accused of “utterly neglecting” Islamophobia by
failing to come up with a definition that can be used to combat anti-Muslim
hatred for more than two years. In 2018, a group of lawmakers drew up a working
definition and urged the government to adopt it, saying the lack of any term
was allowing Islamophobia to “increase in society to devastating effect.”
However,
the government rejected the proposal in May 2019 and said it would commission
independent experts to draw up a different one.
Since
that time only one “expert” has been appointed and no proposals have ever been
published.
During
a parliamentary debate on the conservative party’s definition of Islamophobia,
one conservative minister said: “We remain committed to there being a robust
and effective definition, and we will outline our steps to achieve that in due
course.”
Meanwhile,
according to Sajjad Karim, the former conservative European Member of
Parliament, Muslim members of the Conservative party were deliberately excluded
from the inquiry into Islamophobia within its ranks. Karim, who represented
northwest England in the European parliament for 15 years until 2019, said the
Singh investigation was a “whitewash,” and apologies from the prime minister
for any offence he had caused were “insincere.”
Karim
voiced concerns that the Conservative Party headquarters would use “sleight of
hand” to avoid implementing the recommendations made by the Singh
investigation. He said party members including him had “no confidence left that
the party internally is willing to actually deal with this issue. We cannot
just rely on internal processes to deliver a result”
Karim
also revealed he told party officials of a “particular complaint” before the
Singh inquiry began and was given assurances he would be contacted once the
probe started but he heard “absolutely nothing.” He later found his complaint
had been wiped off media reports and said he was told by the Conservative Party
“we’re very sorry, it’s too late for you to contribute to the inquiry – it was
open to the public but now it’s closed.” Karim said this was proof of a “very
shabby attempt to skewer the findings of the inquiry by trying to make sure
only certain people gave evidence so that it progressed in a certain
direction.” He adds “I’m not the only one that finds himself in this position”
Singh’s
investigation found anti-Muslim sentiment "remains a problem" within
the Conservative Party. The 44,000-word report said: "Judging by the
extent of complaints and findings of misconduct by the party itself that relate
to anti-Muslim words and conduct, anti-Muslim sentiment remains a problem
within the party. This is damaging to the party, and alienates a significant
section of society."
Singh’s
published report also found:
Two-thirds
of all incidents reported to the complaints team at the Tories' headquarters
related to anti-Muslim discrimination
-Three-quarters
of all incidents involved social media
-High-profile
incidents, such as Johnson's comments on Muslim women "give the impression
to many that the party and its leadership are insensitive to Muslim communities"
-The
Conservatives' complaints system is "in need of overhaul" due to its
"under-resourced and inadequately trained" complaints team, a
"weak" data collection system, and "poor" communication
between officials, complainants and respondents
-There
has also been a "lack of transparency" in the complaints process
Singh
said parts of his report would "make for very uncomfortable reading among
the leadership and the rank and file.” He added that “change will be a
difficult process that will require a completely new mindset in some quarters
and one that some party members may not like.”
Source:
ABNA24
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North America
US
blacklists 3 Daesh/ISIS-K leaders as global terrorists
Michael
Gabriel Hernandez
22.11.2021
WASHINGTON
The
US designated three leaders of Daesh/ISIS' Afghanistan affiliate as global
terrorists on Monday, including its leader Sanaullah Ghafari.
Ghafari
has served as Daesh/ISIS-Khorasan Province's (Daesh/ISIS-K) "current
overall emir" since June 2020, and "is responsible for approving all
ISIS-K operations throughout Afghanistan and arranging funding to conduct
operations," Secretary of State Antony Blinken said in a statement.
The
terror group's spokesperson, Sultan Aziz Azam, was also blacklisted alongside
Maulaw Rajab, the individual the department said is responsible for planning
the group's attacks in Kabul.
"The
United States is committed to using its full set of counterterrorism tools to
counter the threat posed by the Islamic State’s Khorasan Province, commonly
referred to as ISIS-K, as part of our relentless efforts to ensure Afghanistan
cannot again become a platform for international terrorism," said Blinken.
"We
will continue to use all levers of American power to target terrorists who plot
operations to indiscriminately kill civilians around the world, and those who
enable, facilitate, and finance their acts," he added.
Source:
Anadolu Agency
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of the original story:
https://www.aa.com.tr/en/americas/us-blacklists-3-daesh-isis-k-leaders-as-global-terrorists/2427829
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US
officials warned Israel: Attacks on Iran nuclear facilities counterproductive
November
23, 2021
US
officials warned “Israel” that attacks on Iran's nuclear facilities are
"counterproductive" and are encouraging Tehran to speed up its
nuclear program, The New York Times reported on Sunday.
Citing
officials familiar with the private talks between Washington and Tel Aviv, the
report said that “Israeli” officials dismissed the warning and said that they
have no intention of changing the strategy.
The
report was published ahead of the resumption of talks between Iran and world
powers on reviving the 2015 nuclear deal that former US president Donald Trump
withdrew from in 2018. The negotiations are scheduled to take place in Vienna
starting on November 29.
Source:
ABNA24
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US
envoy Kerry attends signing of UAE, Jordan, Israel energy deal
22
November ,2021
US
President Joe Biden’s envoy for climate, John Kerry, was in the UAE on Monday
to attend the signing for “Project Prosperity,” a water for energy deal between
Jordan, Israel and the United Arab Emirates.
“This
agreement will further efforts of partner nations Jordan, Israel, and the UAE
to meet the goals of the Paris Agreement, reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the
region, and provide a new source of fresh water,” the State Department said.
Special
Presidential Envoy for Climate John Kerry was in the UAE to oversee the signing
of a deal that would see Israel purchase solar energy from Amman in return for
more desalinated water.
“The
governments of Jordan, Israel and the United Arab Emirates today signed a
landmark declaration of intent to build renewable electricity and water
desalination capacity and address the threat posed by climate change on energy
and water security in the region,” the state-run Emirates News Agency (WAM)
reported.
The
deal is made up of two interdependent and contingent components.
“Prosperity
Green” plans for solar photovoltaic plants generating a capacity of 600 MW to
be built in Jordan, with all clean power produced to be exported to Israel.
Source:
Al Arabiya
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Turkey
conveys condolences to US after car rams into Christmas parade
Dilara
Hamit
22.11.2021
Turkey
on Monday offered condolences to the US after a five people killed when a car
speeded into a Christmas parade in Wisconsin.
“We
convey our condolences to the US government and people and wish speedy recovery
for the injured,” a statement by the Foreign Ministry said.
Source:
Anadolu Agency
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Mideast
Dozens
of extremist Jewish settlers defile Aqsa Mosque under police guard
November
23, 2021
Hordes
of Jewish settlers escorted by police forces desecrated the Aqsa Mosque in
Occupied al-Quds (Jerusalem) on Monday morning.
According
to local sources, dozens of settlers entered the Mosque through its Maghariba
Gate in groups and toured its courtyards under tight police guard.
Meanwhile,
the Israeli occupation police restricted the entry of Muslim worshipers to the
Aqsa Mosque, searched them and prevented many of them from entering it.
The
Aqsa Mosque is exposed to daily desecration by extremist Jewish settlers and
police forces in the morning and the afternoon except on Fridays and Saturdays.
The
Israeli police close al-Maghariba Gate, which is used by Jews to enter the
Mosque, at 10:30 am after the settlers complete their morning tours at the holy
site. Later in the afternoon, the same gate is reopened for evening tours by
settlers.
Source:
ABNA24
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Spokesman:
US after Selling More Arms to Regional States by Anti-Iran Remarks in Manama
2021-November-22
“Regarding
the statements of certain American officials in the region, I think they are
sending expensive bills to some regional states, otherwise they (their remarks)
have no other value, and it is possible that the US still seeks to sell more
weapons,” Khatibzadeh told reporters in a press conference in Tehran on Monday.
He
advised the regional states not to fall in the US trap, adding that people of
these countries deserve to benefit from the money which is spent by their
governments for the American officials’ remarks.
Addressing
the Manama Dialogue conference in Bahrain, US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin
reiterated his country’s commitment to confronting Iran.
“The
United States remains committed to preventing Iran from gaining a nuclear
weapon,” Austin said.
The
Pentagon chief claimed that Washington remains “committed to a diplomatic
outcome of the nuclear issue. But if Iran isn’t willing to engage seriously,
then we will look at all of the options necessary to keep the United States
secure”.
He
noted that the US continues to prevent Iran from what he called as acquiring a
nuclear weapon, and its options are open if diplomatic solutions fail.
The
defense secretary also stressed Washington's commitment to its relations with
allies in the Middle East even after the withdrawal of its forces from
Afghanistan and increasingly shifting its attention to confronting China.
Source:
Fars News Agency
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Syrians
Give Warm Farewell to Iranian Anti-Terror General
2021-November-22
Different
Syrian groups from all social strata have held farewell events for General
Qaffari, as the Iranian commander was a popular figure and had a prominent role
in social welfare activities besides enjoying strong ties with the Damascus
government, Masoud Asadollahi, a prominent political expert on regional
affairs, said.
The
expert said the Iranian general’s anti-terror efforts have been praised at a
number of events, including one held by Syrian Defense Minister General Ali
Abdullah Ayyoub at the Defense Ministry, where senior Syrian Army officers, as
well as those of Iran’s Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) and Lebanese
Hezbollah resistance group, were in attendance.
Asadollahi
pointed out that foreign media outlets have published falsified analyses
seeking to portray the termination of General Qaffari’s mission as a dismissal
by Syrian President Bashar Assad at the request of the United Arab Emirates
(UAE) Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan.
The
arrangements for the Emirati diplomat’s visit had been made in advance and his
trip to Damascus had nothing to do with the Iranian general, who had been
replaced a month earlier, he stressed, citing Hezbollah Secretary General Seyed
Hassan Nasrallah, who has described the trip as the official announcement of
the defeat of a plot hatched by Takfiri groups against Syria.
Asadollahi
categorically dismissed media allegations about the chief officer, stating that
General Qaffari was the third commander of Iranian forces in Syria, after Major
General Hossein Hamedani – who was martyred in an ISIL terrorist attack in
Syria’s Northern city of Aleppo on October 7, 2015 – and Brigadier General
Mohammad Jafar Asadi.
He
went on to say that General Qaffari started his anti-terror mission at the
outset of the Syrian crisis and played the leading role in the liberation of
the Western districts of the Ghouta area of Damascus.
He
was then appointed as the commander of the Aleppo brigade and took the helm as
the chief commander of Iranian military advisors in Syria in early February
2016, when the Syrian government managed to liberate Nubl and al-Zahraa towns
in Aleppo province with the help of Iranian counselors, the political analyst
said.
Asadollahi
noted that General Qaffari’s mission ended last month after holding the post
for six years. He said a new adviser has already replaced him.
The
expert highlighted that the Iranian general was set to be relieved of his
duties in late March 2020 but the move was put off after the assassination of
Iran’s top anti-terror General Qassem Soleimani and his companions, including
Deputy Chief of Iraq’s Popular Mobilization Units (PMU) Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis,
in an airstrike directly ordered by former US president Donald Trump at Baghdad
International Airport on January 3.
Syria
has been gripped by foreign-backed militancy since 2011.
Source:
Fars News Agency
Please click the following URL to read the full text
of the original story:
https://www.farsnews.ir/en/news/14000901000604/Syrians-Give-Warm-Farewell-Iranian-Ani-Terrr-General
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Israel’s
Netanyahu faces key witness in court
22
November ,2021
Former
Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu appeared in court on Monday to face a
key prosecution witness in his corruption trial.
Netanyahu,
who served as prime minister for 12 years until June, has pleaded not guilty to
charges of bribery, breach of trust and fraud in cases that center on alleged
regulatory favors he awarded to media tycoons in return for positive press
coverage and receipt of gifts, including cigars and champagne.
For
all the latest headlines follow our Google News channel online or via the app.
Netanyahu,
now opposition leader, smiled under his black face mask as he walked into the
Jerusalem District courtroom to hear the testimony of his former spokesman and
close adviser Nir Hefetz, one of a small group of ex-aides to turn state’s
witness against the country’s first premier to be criminally charged while
still in office.
“Netanyahu
spends at least as much as his time on media as he spends on security matters,
including on matters an outsider would consider nonsense,” Hefetz told the
court.
Netanyahu,
72, is not required to attend the trial hearings and he has made few court
appearances. He made no comment to reporters as slogans shouted outside in the
street by a cluster of his supporters wafted into the courtroom who faced off
with a small group of anti-Netanyahu protesters.
Source:
Al Arabiya
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Africa
Haftar,
Seif al-Islam must answer accusations: Libyan prosecutor
NOV
22, 2021
Putschist
Gen. Khalifa Haftar and Seif al-Islam Gadhafi, the son of former strongman
Moammar Gadhafi, should first answer the accusations against them before the
country's presidential elections, local media cited a Libyan prosecutor as
saying.
Libya
al-Ahrar TV said military prosecutor Masoud Erhouma submitted a request to Emad
Al-Sayeh, the head of the High National Elections Commission, asking to halt
the candidacy of the two men.
The
prosecutor asked the two presidential hopefuls to appear before him to answer
accusations of murder against them.
In
his request, Erhouma said a lawsuit was filed against Seif al-Islam and Haftar
related to the killing of civilians in the town of Espiaa, south of Tripoli, by
Russian Wagner mercenaries.
In
his failed attempt to capture Tripoli between April 2019 and June 2020, Haftar
was assisted by the Wagner Group in massacres reported against civilians,
including the killings in Espiaa.
The
military prosecutor, however, didn't specify Seif al-Islam's link to the
killings in Espiaa.
He
added that Haftar is also accused of killing 63 illegal migrants in July 2019
in the town of Tajoura, east of Tripoli, two Libyans in a shelling on the
northwestern al-Zawiyah in Dec. 2019 and 26 students in an attack on a military
academy in Tripoli in Dec. 2020.
As
of Sunday, 61 candidates have applied to run in the Dec. 24 presidential
elections, including Haftar and Seif al-Islam.
Libya's
presidential and parliamentary elections are set to take place on Dec. 24 under
an U.N.-sponsored agreement reached by Libyan political rivals during meetings
in Tunisia on Nov. 15, 2020.
Source:
Daily Sabah
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Sudan
frees several civilian leaders held since coup
22
November ,2021
Sudanese
authorities have released several civilian leaders detained since last month’s
coup, a key plank in a deal aimed to restore a fragile transition process
towards full democracy, one said Monday.
“I
was released late yesterday evening,” the head of Sudan’s Congress Party Omar
al-Degeir told AFP, who was among the civilians arrested in the October 25
power grab by the army.
“I
was in solitary confinement and completely cut off from the world throughout
this period.”
Other
civilian politicians, including from the Umma party, Sudan’s largest political
group, were also released.
Top
general Abdel Fattah al-Burhan last month declared a state of emergency and
ousted the government, in a move that upended a two-year transition to civilian
rule.
It
triggered a wave of mass street protests in which at least 41 people were
killed, according to medical sources.
But
on Sunday, Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok -- who had also been put under
effective house arrest – was released.
He
and Burhan then formally signed a 14-point deal that provided for the premier’s
reinstatement and for political detainees to be freed.
However,
analysts warn the move simply “whitewashes” the coup, as it remains unclear how
much power Hamdok’s government will hold, and which will still be under
oversight of a ruling council led by the military.
Thousands
of demonstrators in multiple rallies rejected the deal, shouting “No to
military power” and demanding the armed forces fully withdraw from government.
The
deal was welcomed by the international community including the United Nations
and African Union, as well as the so-called Troika of the Britain, Norway and
the United States.
It
was also greeted by Saudi Arabia and Egypt, which has strong ties with the
Sudanese military.
Source:
Al Arabiya
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Ethiopia’s
Abiy vows to head to war front amid Tigray advance
23
November ,2021
Ethiopian
Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed said Monday he would head to the war front to lead
soldiers battling rebels as the year-long conflict moves closer to the capital
Addis Ababa.
“Starting
tomorrow, I will mobilize to the front to lead the defense forces,” Abiy,
winner of the 2019 Nobel Peace Prize, said in a statement posted on Twitter.
“Those
who want to be among the Ethiopian children who will be hailed by history, rise
up for your country today. Let’s meet at the front.”
Abiy’s
statement came as the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) rebel group
continued to press towards Addis Ababa, claiming control of the town of Shewa
Robit, just 220 kilometers northeast of the capital by road.
It
also came after the ruling Prosperity Party’s executive committee met Monday to
discuss the war, which has dragged on for a year.
After
that meeting, Defense Minister Abraham Belay told state-affiliated media that
security forces would embark on a “different action,” without providing
details.
“We
can’t continue like this, that means there will be change,” Belay said.
“What
happened and is happening to our people, the abuses being meted out by this
destructive, terrorist, robber group, can’t continue.”
Abiy
sent troops into Ethiopia’s northernmost Tigray region to topple the TPLF in
November 2020, saying the move came in response to TPLF attacks on army camps.
Though
he promised a swift victory, by late June the TPLF had regrouped and retaken
most of Tigray including its capital Mekele, prompting the federal army to
largely withdraw from the region.
Since
then the TPLF has pushed into the neighboring Afar and Amhara regions.
It
has also formed an alliance with other insurgent groups including the Oromo
Liberation Army (OLA), which is active in the Oromia region surrounding Addis
Ababa.
Fears
of a rebel advance on the capital have prompted several countries including the
US and the UK to pull out non-essential diplomatic staff.
These
countries are also urging their citizens to leave Ethiopia while commercial
flights are still available.
Source:
Al Arabiya
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US
says restoration of Sudan premier just 'first step,' urges more action
Michael
Hernandez
22.11.2021
WASHINGTON
The
Sudanese military's decision to restore Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok to power
was a "first step" that requires additional action, the US said on
Monday.
Secretary
of State Antony Blinken conveyed the message during separate calls with Hamdok
and Gen. Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, Spokesman Ned Price told reporters at the
State Department.
Blinken
told the Sudanese leaders that "we must continue to see progress, we must
continue to see Sudan move back down the democratic path."
"That
starts with the reinstitution of the prime minister, but it certainly doesn’t
end there," said Price. "We’ll continue to press on all of the
relevant actors and stakeholders to work toward this goal, and to ensure that
the first step that was announced in recent hours is not the last step.”
Hamdok
was reinstated on Sunday after signing a political agreement with the military.
He was placed under house arrest in late October after the Sudanese military
led by al-Burhan seized power.
The
deal, signed by Hamdok and Gen. Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, the head of the ruling
military council, puts an end to a weeks-long crisis that threatened to
undermine Sudan’s political transition.
The
14-point agreement stipulates that a 2019 political declaration will be the
basis for Sudan's democratic transition, and that elections will be held in
2023 as scheduled. It also provides for the prime minister to form a
“technocrat Cabinet”.
Source:
Anadolu Agency
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Roadside
bomb blast in SW Somalia kills 2 civilians
Mohammed
Dhaysane
22.11.2021
MOGADISHU,
Somalia
At
least two civilians were killed and several other people were wounded in a
landmine explosion in southern Somalia on Monday evening, officials said.
The
bomb targeted soldiers based near the town of Afgoye in the lower Shabelle
region where the explosion took place, said South West State officials who
spoke to Anadolu Agency over the phone.
The
people wounded in the attack included one soldier, an official told Anadolu
Agency on condition of anonymity due to restrictions of speaking to the media.
The
wounded were taken to medical facilities in the town for treatment, according
to local media.
Afgoye
is an agricultural town located some 30 kilometers (18 miles) southwest of the
capital Mogadishu.
Officials
blamed the al-Qaeda-affiliated terrorist group al-Shabaab for the explosion,
but no group has claimed responsibility yet.
The
attack came two days after an al-Shabaab bomb attack killed Somali state media
director Abdiaziz Mohamud Guled (Abdiaziz Afrika) and wounded two journalists,
and last Friday at least eight people were killed and over 13 wounded in a bomb
blast in the town of Berdale in Somalia’s South West State.
Source:
Anadolu Agency
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of the original story:
https://www.aa.com.tr/en/africa/roadside-bomb-blast-in-sw-somalia-kills-2-civilians/2427796
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MBYA
calls on EU to asks Buhari to release traveling documents of Zakzaky, wife
November
23, 2021
A
non-governmental organization, Middle-Belt Youth Assembly (MBYA) has advised
the European Union (EU) to ask President Muhammadu Buhari led government on
humanitarian and judicial ground to grant the leader of the Islamic sect, the
Islamic Movement in Nigeria, Sheikh Ibraheem Zakzaky and his wife Malama
Zeenat, who had been discharged and acquitted by Kaduna state High Court the
release of their traveling documents to treat themselves of various ailments as
a result of the brutal crackdown unleashed on them and without any privilege
for medical treatment received while in the custody of state security.
In
a statement signed by its publicity secretary Mr Yunana Kambai , the group says
even Mr. President took time off from duty to attend to his worsening health
situation outside the country to stay safe.
The
statement read; as you are aware, It has been over four months since the leader
of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria Sheikh Ibraheem Zakzaky (H) and his wife
were acquitted and discharged by Kaduna State High Court, after spending almost
six years in illegal detention. Judge Gideon Kurada had, in his ruling
delivered on July, 2021, upheld the couple’s no-case submission and dismissed
all eight charges, including culpable homicide, disruption of public peace and
unlawful assembly, levelled against them by the Kaduna State government.
The
couple who were arrested since December 2015 have been languishing in DSS
custody, before later being transferred to Kaduna Correctional Centre facility,
under in human and degrading condition. Their medical situation was not
properly in addition to their mismanaged life threatening gunshot injuries and
numerous health complications that require serious intervention; as a result of
which their health condition woefully deteriorated from bad to worse.
Now
that the couple are acquitted of all charges filed against them by the Kaduna
state government, they should be allowed to attend to their health, wherever
they choose to go, without any iota of mischief and undue frustration
whatsoever. But on the contrary, since their aborted medical trip, the couple’s
passports and other documents that will allow them to travel is reportedly
withheld, and have therefore no access to adequate medical care till date.
The
deterioration in the couple’s health condition is so glaring as the Sheikh
could be seen limping and his wife confined to a wheelchair as they exited the
court premises last few months. This is a consequence of lack of access to proper
medical attention in the course of the years they have spent in illegal
detention.
The
Sheikh and his wife have suffered enough already: six of their children were
extrajudicially killed in the pace of less than two years, over a thousand of
his followers were killed and buried in mass and unmarked graves, and hundreds
of others killed while peacefully protesting against his persecution and
illegal detention; therefore not allowing them to travel at the moment is
tantamount to rubbing salt in their wounds.
If
anything, the government should, for the good of the nation, maintain the fresh
breath of air in the streets of Abuja, Kaduna, Kano, Katsina, Sokoto and other
cities considering the security crisis ravaging the country; it is therefore
unwise of the government to add yet another. One thing is certain, Sheikh
Ibraheem Zakzaky is not allowed to attend to his health, those streets will
soon be littered with his unrelenting, indefatigable followers.
We
call on the European Union to help facilitate this, as we seriously fear the
return of protests in Abuja and other major cities. Protesting is a
constitutional right, and we don’t blame the protestors for discharging one of
their constitutional rights. But the protests by the IMN in the past had
changed Abuja from the tranquil city it used to be to seemingly a battle ground
due to intolerance and crude tactics of the security agents.
As
civil Society Organizations we call the EU as a matter of urgency to ask
Nigerian Government to release the passports of the couple so that they can
attend to their health.
Source:
ABNA24
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Pakistan
Ulema
urge govt to hold accountable elements campaigning against state institutions
November
23, 2021
The
Ulema-Mashaykh and religious scholars of different religious schools of thought
Monday urged the government to hold accountable the elements campaigning
against the judiciary, armed forces, security agencies and Islamic values.
In
a joint statement, they said a baseless propaganda campaign was launched
against minorities in ‘Asma Jehangir Conference’ held in Lahore the other day.
The
religious leadership also appealed to the representatives and members of the
Supreme Court Bar Council (SCBC) and Pakistan Bar Council (PBC) to take action
against the propaganda against Pakistan and Islam in the said conference.
The
clerics said the SCBC and PBC were unanimous forums and should not have been
used for such conferences.
The
clerics said the religious leadership of Pakistan and Darul Iftaa had
repeatedly issued ‘Fatwas’ (decrees) stating that Islam does not believe in
forcibly converting anyone to Islam or forceful marriages.
The
decision on part of the US State Department was also politically motivated,
which had nothing to do with facts and ground realities, said the statement
adding associating the mistakes of individuals with the institutions and using
obnoxious language against the respected state institutions in any case was not
right.
In
‘Asma Jahangir Conference’, a woeful attitude was adopted towards judiciary,
armed forces and the security agencies, the statement added.
The
deniers of ‘Khatm-e-Nabuwat’ were given free rein to misrepresent the cases in
the courts and the Muslim representatives were not even invited at the
conference to present the actual facts.
The
religious leadership said Pakistan’s religious leadership and Muftis had
repeatedly issued fatwas stating that there was no concept of forced
conversions or forced marriages in Islam and if anyone had any evidence in that
regard, they should bring it to the light to address all such complaints.
Source:
Pakistan Observer
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Pakistan
Government ‘Releases’ Over 100 Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan Prisoners
November
22, 2021
PESHAWAR:
The government has released more than 100 Taliban prisoners as a ‘goodwill
gesture’ to reciprocate the ceasefire announced by the group earlier this
month, a media outlet reported.
Per
report, most of the freed Taliban prisoners were undergoing de-radicalisation
and rehabilitation at the internment centres set up by the government, the
officials said on the condition of anonymity since they were not authorised to
speak on record.
“Most
of the released inmates have not completed a six-month mandatory
de-radicalisation and rehabilitation programme,” the report quoted an official
as saying. “The rest were ordinary foot soldiers.”
The
officials also clarified that the prisoners were not released in compliance
with any demand from the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), which is currently
engaged in negotiations with the government. “The Taliban prisoners were
released as a goodwill gesture,” the official added.
On
November 8, the TTP announced in a statement that it had reached an agreement
with the government to cease hostilities for one month. “The ceasefire
agreement between the Pakistan government and the TTP will remain in effect for
one month. It could be extended should the two sides agree,” the group said in
a statement. “It would equally apply to both sides.”
Federal
Information Minister Chaudhry Fawad Hussain also confirmed talks with the TTP which,
he said, were being held within the ambit of the Constitution and law of the
land. He also confirmed that both sides have agreed to a ceasefire during the
talks, facilitated by the interim Afghan government.
The
truce was the result of a series of meetings held between the two sides in
Afghanistan. Both sides held at least three rounds of talks — one in Kabul and
two in Khost – during which they formed committees to take the process forward
and try to convert the ceasefire into a permanent peace deal.
The
security officials who spoke to the media outlet on Monday and said that there
have been no direct talks thus far between the two sides and that they are
engaged through intermediaries.
The
Afghan foreign minister also confirmed during a recent visit to Pakistan that
they were mediating between the TTP and the Pakistan government. “No
individual, but the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan is mediating between the
government of Pakistan and the TTP,” Amir Khan Muttaqi said.
Another
media report said last week that the TTP made three demands during the
exploratory talks which include allowing opening of a political office in a
third country, reversal of erstwhile FATA’s merger with Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa and
enforcement of Islamic shariah in Pakistan.
Source:
Pakistan Today
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of the original story:
https://www.pakistantoday.com.pk/2021/11/22/159594/
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Kartarpur
Corridor Reunites Two Nonagenarian Friends, Muhammad Bashir and Sardar Gopal
Singh Separated At the Time of Partition
November
22, 2021
The
Kartarpur Corridor reunited two old friends who were separated at the time of
partition of the sub-continent.
The
two nonagenarian friends, Muhammad Bashir (91), a resident of a village in
Narowal, and Sardar Gopal Singh (94) from India had got separated at the time
of partition of India and Pakistan in 1947. Upon reuniting, the two friends did
not wait to embrace each other with teary eyes.
As
per the sources, Bashir visited the Gurdwara as a visitor, where he recognized
his old friend Gopal Singh who had crossed the border to perform religious
rites at Gurdwara Darbar Sahib.
Bashir
stated that even before the Partition, both the friends used to visit Baba Guru
Nanak’s Gurdwara. Gopal Singh added that before Pakistan was formed, both of
them were in their early youth. The two
friends then sat together at the lunch, ate food and had tea.
Gopal
Singh expressed joy at the project of Kartarpur Corridor and thanked the
government of Pakistan for it, before returning to India.
Source:
Pakistan Today
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Amnesty
flags Pakistan on enforced disappearances
Nov
23, 2021
ISLAMABAD:
Amnesty International has asked Pakistani authorities to end the practice of
enforced disappearances as a tool of state policy, underscoring in a report
titled ‘Living Ghosts’ that was released on Monday the mental, physical and
socio-economic impact of illegal abductions by security agencies on the
“missing” people’s families.
Enforced
disappearances—known in Pakistan as missing persons—is an act widely used in
many countries that allows security agencies to arrest, detain or abduct a
person without his will, and deny information about his fate. The refusal to
acknowledge an abducted person’s fate is a crime under international law.
Earlier
this month, Pakistan’s National Assembly passed a bill that, for the first time
in the country’s history, defined and criminalised the practice of enforced
disappearances. Amnesty International, however, pointed out that the proposed
reforms to outlaw and end the practice do not keep to international human
rights law and best practices.
In
its report based on based on interviews with family members of people “whose
fate remains unknown after they were abducted by Pakistan’s security services”,
Amnesty said the practice violated human rights and had a toll on the mental
and physical health of affected families, their financial status, their
security, and caused stigma and social isolation.
“Enforced
disappearance is a cruel practice that has caused indelible pain to hundreds of
families in Pakistan over the past two decades,” said Rehab Mahamoor, Amnesty’s
acting South Asia researcher. “On top of the untold anguish of losing a loved
one and having no idea of their whereabouts or safety, families endure other
long-term effects, including ill health and financial problems,” he said.
Enforced
disappearances have been reported since the mid-1980s in Pakistan, but the tool
became more widely used since the “war on terror” that began after the US
invasion of Afghanistan following the 9/11 attacks in 2001. The Commission of
Inquiry on Enforced Disappearances said in its monthly October report that it
has documented 8,191 cases of enforced disappearances, of which 2,274 remain
unresolved, since it was set up in 2011. Some 37 of these cases occurred in
October this year alone.
Intelligence
agencies have been targeting human rights defenders, political activists,
students, and journalists, and the fate of hundreds of victims remain unknown,
according to Amnesty report.
Among
the people interviewed by the rights watchdog was Inaam Abbasi, who was held
for 10 months following his abduction in August 2017. The physical torture
during captivity left him with a host of health issues, including chronic joint
pain, high blood pressure and suspected post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
that often gets triggered by routine things such as the sound of a doorbell. “I
believe that someone has come to take me away again,” Inaam was quoted as
saying.
Source:
Times of India
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Imran
to allow return of Afghan patients through Pakistani territory
23.11.21
Pakistan
Prime Minister Imran Khan on Monday decided to facilitate the return of Afghans
— who had come to India for medical treatment and got stranded owing to the
situation in Afghanistan since August — through the Pakistani territory.
This
forms part of the Humanitarian Assistance Package for Afghanistan that he
unveiled on Monday after the first meeting of the apex committee of the
Afghanistan Inter-Ministerial Coordination Cell.
Among
the various measures to be taken, Khan announced that “Pakistan will also
facilitate the return of Afghan patients who had gone to India for medical
treatment and are stuck there’’.
This
apart, he iterated that Pakistan would “allow the 50,000 metric tonnes of wheat
India has offered to provide Afghanistan as humanitarian assistance to go
through Pakistan as soon as modalities are finalised with the Indian side’’.
A
similar announcement had been made by his office after he met a delegation led
by Afghanistan’s acting foreign minister Amir Khan Muttaqi on November 12.
At
that time, his office had tweeted: “The Prime Minister conveyed that in the
current context Pakistan would favourably consider the request by Afghan
brothers for transportation of wheat offered by India through Pakistan on exceptional
basis for humanitarian purposes and as per modalities to be worked out.’’
Source:
Telegraph India
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President
of Pakistan: Syria’s victory over terrorism is appreciated
November
23, 2021
President
of Pakistan, Arif Alvi, said Monday that Syria’s victory against terrorism is
an appreciated step for all.
President
Alvi who received Education Minister, Darem Tabaa, called for exchanging
expertise between Syria and Pakistan in culture and education domains and the
need for making use of technology to develop education.
Minister
Tabaa, for his part, conveyed President Bashar al-Assad’s greetings and
appreciation for the good relations between the two friendly countries,
stressing Syria’s willingness to boost cooperation with Pakistan.
In
turn, President Alvi asked Minister Tabaa to convey his greetings to President
al-Assad.
Source:
ABNA24
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PM
Imran okays Rs5bn humanitarian aid for Afghanistan
Baqir
Sajjad Syed
November
23, 2021
ISLAMABAD:
Prime Minister Imran Khan on Monday approved Rs5 billion humanitarian aid for
Afghanistan, besides allowing transportation of Indian food assistance for the
war-torn country through Pakistan.
The
decision was taken at the first meeting of the apex committee of the newly
established Afghanistan Inter-Ministerial Coordination Cell (AICC). PM Khan
chaired the meeting that was attended by Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi,
Adviser on Finance Shaukat Tarin, Chief of the Army Staff Gen Qamar Bajwa,
National Security Adviser Dr Moeed Yousuf and senior civil and military
officers.
The
PM Office said that the prime minister “ordered immediate shipment of in-kind
humanitarian assistance worth Rs5 billion”.
The
aid would include food commodities including 50,000 tonnes of wheat, emergency
medical supplies and winter shelters, according to the PMO. A delegation of
health officials from Afghanistan will visit Islamabad later this week to work
out modalities for Pakistan’s support to Afghanistan’s health sector.
Allows
transportation of Indian food assistance through Pakistan
The
assistance approved by the prime minister was earlier announced on October 1
during the visit of FM Qureshi to Kabul for meeting with the Taliban leaders.
Humanitarian
supplies are already being transported from Pakistan to Afghanistan almost on
daily basis since September.
United
Nations’ Special Representative for Afghanistan Deborah Lyons had on Thursday
warned that the country was “on the brink of a humanitarian catastrophe” with
nearly 60 per cent of its population expected to face extreme level of hunger.
The
food emergency is expected to aggravate over the winter.
The
participants of the meeting, while expressing concern about the deteriorating
humanitarian situation in Afghanistan, vowed not to abandon the Afghans in
their time of need.
Mr
Khan urged the international community of fulfill its “collective
responsibility” to help Afghanistan stave off the impending humanitarian
crisis.
He
announced the government’s decision to permit 50,000 MT of wheat India had
offered to Afghanistan as humanitarian assistance to go through Pakistan after
finalisation of modalities.
“Pakistan
will also facilitate the return of Afghan patients who had gone to India for
medical treatment and are stuck there,” he further said.
While
directing the ministries to extend maximum facilitation to Afghans, the prime
minister said that it had been agreed in principle to reduce tariff and sales
tax on key Afghan exports to Pakistan.
This
would help support Afghanistan’s economy. Since Taliban takeover in August this
year, imports from Afghanistan to Pakistan are higher than exports from
Pakistan to Afghanistan.
Mr
Khan instructed that no arbitrary closures of borders for trade should be
allowed.
He
further ordered revival of bus service between Peshawar and Jalalabad for
facilitating cross-border travel. Measures for facilitating visas for
Afghanistan were also approved.
The
prime minister ordered that the facility of free Covid-19 vaccination for the
Afghans entering Pakistan from land borders be continued. Pakistan has
initiated free vaccination of the Afghans since November 13.
Source:
Dawn
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https://www.dawn.com/news/1659711/pm-imran-okays-rs5bn-humanitarian-aid-for-afghanistan
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Southeast Asia
Convert
all of UDA Holdings Bhd's land bank to 'waqf' land to only benefit Bumiputera
and Malays, Penang group tells Putrajaya
23
Nov 2021
BY
OPALYN MOK
GEORGE
TOWN, Nov 23 ― All lands owned by UDA Holdings Bhd should be converted into “wakaf”
or reserve land to make sure they fully benefit only Bumiputera and Muslims,
said Penang Malay Association (Pemenang) president Tan Sri Yussof Latiff.
He
said UDA Holdings had bought up lands at a minimal price as the lands were
supposedly meant to benefit the Bumputera but in the end, the lands were
developed for other purposes that do not benefit the Bumiputera community at
all.
He
used the Tanjong Tokong land as an example which he claimed UDA Holdings had
paid a nominal sum of RM1 for a 99 lease on 48 acres of the traditional Malay
kampung land back in the early 1960s.
“UDA
Holdings were supposed to develop the land for the Malay community but till
today, the village there is in disarray and in poor conditions,” he said in a
press conference at Pemenang headquarters here.
He
said UDA Holdings' main responsibility was to develop lands to benefit the
Bumiputera community but it had diverted from its main responsibility.
“This
is proven in the two mega projects by UDA in Penang such as the Tanjong Tokong
redevelopment project and the Pulau Jerejak project,” he said.
He
claimed UDA had joint-ventured with non-Bumiputera companies to develop
high-rise buildings and mixed-development projects that are mostly bought and
owned by non-Bumiputera.
He
said he had met with UDA regarding this issue and UDA claimed that it was
“forced” to join ventures with state government-friendly developers for some of
its projects.
“That
is what they claimed when I met with them, we don't know how true this is,” he
said.
Yussof,
who is also Penang Malay Heritage Trust Organisation president, said UDA has
been able to obtain lands at nominal sums in the name of development for the
Malay community and yet they have formed joint-ventures with non-Bumiputera
companies to develop projects that are not meant for the Bumiputera.
“In
this case, the only way to stop this from happening, all lands owned by UDA
Holdings should be classified as wakaf land to make sure these lands will only
benefit the Muslim and Bumiputera communities,” he said.
He
said UDA Holdings can choose to join ventures with Bumiputera-owned companies
to develop its mega projects.
He
said he did not want these lands which rightfully belonged to the Bumiputera
and Malay community be lost to non-Bumiputera.
“We
can foresee that in another 10 years, the whole Tanjong Tokong area will become
a busy metropolitan city with high rise buildings but the original Malays in
the area will be left behind,” he said.
He
claimed that UDA, together with E&O Holdings Bhd had completely changed the
traditional structure of Tanjong Tokong from a Malay area.
“This
area is meant to be a Malay area but the new high rise developments along the
reclaimed land on the coast are mostly owned by non-Bumiputera,” he said.
“These
are reclaimed land that belonged to UDA but it has become a site for
non-Bumiputera while the original settlement there was shifted to low cost
flats,” he added.
He
pointed out that many others were placed in transit homes for over 20 years.
Source:
Malay Mail
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Malay
group chides Kedah MB for repeated verbal attacks against Penang, warns may be
insult on Agong
23
Nov 2021
GEORGE
TOWN, Nov 23 ― A Penang-based Malay group has taken the Kedah Mentri Besar
Datuk Seri Muhammad Sanusi Md Nor to task for his repeated attacks against
Penang over the last few months.
Penang
Malay Association (Pemenang) president Tan Sri Yussof Latiff said the Kedah
lawmaker has issued too many unwarranted public “threats” against Penang.
“He
has been going through the media to threaten Penang over water, over land, over
various issues and the most recent, telling people to come to Penang if they
want to buy lottery numbers,” he said in a press conference at Pemenang
headquarters here.
He
said Sanusi must remember that the Yang di-Pertuan Agong Al-Sultan Abdullah
Ri’ayatuddin Al- Mustafa Billah Shah is the head of Islam in Penang.
“By
giving the impression that Penang is a gambling state, he is disrespecting the
Yang di-Pertuan Agong as the head of Islam in Penang,” he said.
Yussof,
who is also president of Penang Malay Heritage Trust Organisation, reminded
Sanusi that Penang and Kedah are on the same level as both are states under
Malaysia.
He
said if Sanusi wants to claim anything from Penang, be it for water or the
honorarium payment for Penang island and Seberang Perai, he should discuss it
with the federal government and relevant ministries internally.
“Why
does he need to publicly issue these threats against Penang? This is not the
way to do things,” he said.
Source:
Malay Mail
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https://www.malaymail.com/news/malaysia/2021/11/23/malay-group-chides-kedah-mb-for-repeated-verbal-attacks-against-penang-warn/2022958
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