Iraqi security forces arrested a senior paramilitary leader on Wednesday in a move that will raise tension with powerful Iran-backed militias accused of attacks on international troops and killing hundreds of protesters and activists.
The arrest puts Prime Minister Mustafa Al Kadhimi's loyalist security forces in the army and counter-terrorism services directly at odds with the militias that make up an organisation of state-sanctioned groups.
Qassim Musleh, leader of Popular Mobilisation Forces operations in Anbar, was reportedly arrested by troops from the Interior Ministry.
The reasons behind Mr Musleh’s arrest is still unclear but an arrest warrant, widely circulated on social media and confirmed by a court official, said he was wanted over terrorism charges.
Mr Al Kadhimi said a person was arrested in accordance with terrorism laws and based on complaints made against him.
The person is under investigation by a joint committee from the Joint Co-operation Command, Interior Ministry and Military Intelligence Services, National Security and PM Security Department, he said.
Mr Al Kadhimi said armed groups were a "dangerous violation to the Iraqi constitution and valid laws" and ordered an immediate investigation.
Official sources told The National that Mr Musleh was arrested in connection with the murders of activists. It was confirmed by the Associated Press who quoted four security officials confirming that charges were related to the killings of activists in the southern city of Kabala at the order of the Anti-Corruption Committee headed by Lt. Gen. Ahmed Abu Ragheef.
Reuters reported Mr Musleh's arrest was in connection with a recent rocket attack against the Iraqi-US base at Al Asad. His troops are stationed not far from the base.
"A mutual military and security committee has been formed to lead the investigation in the case," a government source told the Iraqi state news agency.
The influential Iran-backed Kataib Hezbollah in Iraq accused Mr Al Kadhimi of deliberately going for PMF senior leaders and demanded the immediate release of Mr Musleh.
“We will not be silent about the hostile approach of some figures who work for the benefit of the enemies,” it said.
The UK backed Mr Al Kadhimi's investigation.
"Iraqis have called for a state where those who break the law are held to account," it said on Twitter.
"No one should use force and threats to impede criminal investigations."
In a show of force, the PMF posted fighters around its headquarters inside Baghdad’s Green Zone on Wednesday night.
Mr Al Kadhimi's office and foreign embassies are also inside the zone.
The Counter-terrorism Service, Federal Police and army also posted personnel inside and outside the Green Zone.
Security force convoys of more than two vehicles have been banned from entering Baghdad or moving in its streets, says a government order seen by The National.
Alarmed by the developments, the UN special representative in Iraq, Jeanine Hennis-Plaeschert, said on Twitter that “any arrest case should run its course, as goes for any Iraqi".
"And surely, nobody should resort to a show of force to get their way,” Ms Hennis-Plaeschert said.
“Such behaviour weakens the Iraqi state and further erodes public trust. State institutions must be respected at all times. Nobody is above the law."
Since taking office in May, Mr Al Kadhimi has tried to rein in militias backed by Tehran but has so far failed.
Mr Musleh also runs a militia group called Al Tufuf, which worked alongside Iran-backed groups in Al Qaim, a strategically important town on the border with Syria.
On Tuesday, security troops killed two protesters in Baghdad who were demanding justice for scores of assassinated activists.
The demonstrators carried pictures of the dead and shouted, "Who killed me?"
Mr Al Kadhimi repeatedly promised investigations into protesters' deaths.
In June 2020, the country's counter-terrorism force arrested 14 militiamen from Kataib Hezbollah, which has a prominent role in the PMF.
The men were accused of planning a rocket attack on Baghdad's Green Zone but they were released days later and the case was dropped.
In December, security troops arrested Hamid Al Jazairi, the former deputy commander of Al Khorasani Brigades, another prominent Iran-backed group, and more than a dozen of his followers.
The following day, the group’s commander, Ali Al Yassiri, was arrested. Officials said they were arrested over corruption charges.
When Iraqi security forces crumbled in mid-2014 as ISIS swept through northern and western Iraq, volunteers and militias answered a call from the country’s influential Shiite cleric, Grand Ayatollah Ali Al Sistani, to join the fight.
Some of the groups were newly formed and loyal to Mr Al Sistani, and refrained from attacking international forces or killing protesters.
But they have since moved closer to Iraq's Defence Ministry leaving other, more powerful groups such as Kataib Hezbollah and Al Tufuf to continue operations on Iran's behalf.
As major military operations ended and ISIS was declared defeated in late 2017, many Shiite militias competed for lucrative government rebuilding deals in the liberated areas, many of which were in ruins.
Some of the Iran-allied faction within the PMF are accused of assassinating activists and protesters since 2019, when pro-reform, anti-Tehran rallies broke out.
Who are Kataib Hezbollah?
How to report a beggar
Abu Dhabi – Call 999 or 8002626 (Aman Service)
Dubai – Call 800243
Sharjah – Call 065632222
Ras Al Khaimah - Call 072053372
Ajman – Call 067401616
Umm Al Quwain – Call 999
Fujairah - Call 092051100 or 092224411
Afghanistan squad
Gulbadin Naib (captain), Mohammad Shahzad (wicketkeeper), Noor Ali Zadran, Hazratullah Zazai, Rahmat Shah, Asghar Afghan, Hashmatullah Shahidi, Najibullah Zadran, Samiullah Shinwari, Mohammad Nabi, Rashid Khan, Dawlat Zadran, Aftab Alam, Hamid Hassan, Mujeeb Ur Rahman.
Company profile
Name: Steppi
Founders: Joe Franklin and Milos Savic
Launched: February 2020
Size: 10,000 users by the end of July and a goal of 200,000 users by the end of the year
Employees: Five
Based: Jumeirah Lakes Towers, Dubai
Financing stage: Two seed rounds – the first sourced from angel investors and the founders' personal savings
Second round raised Dh720,000 from silent investors in June this year
Ireland v Denmark: The last two years
Denmark 1-1 Ireland
7/06/19, Euro 2020 qualifier
Denmark 0-0 Ireland
19/11/2018, Nations League
Ireland 0-0 Denmark
13/10/2018, Nations League
Ireland 1 Denmark 5
14/11/2017, World Cup qualifier
Denmark 0-0 Ireland
11/11/2017, World Cup qualifier
Ain Dubai in numbers
126: The length in metres of the legs supporting the structure
1 football pitch: The length of each permanent spoke is longer than a professional soccer pitch
16 A380 Airbuses: The equivalent weight of the wheel rim.
9,000 tonnes: The amount of steel used to construct the project.
5 tonnes: The weight of each permanent spoke that is holding the wheel rim in place
192: The amount of cable wires used to create the wheel. They measure a distance of 2,4000km in total, the equivalent of the distance between Dubai and Cairo.
COMPANY PROFILE
● Company: Bidzi
● Started: 2024
● Founders: Akshay Dosaj and Asif Rashid
● Based: Dubai, UAE
● Industry: M&A
● Funding size: Bootstrapped
● No of employees: Nine
COMPANY%20PROFILE
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ECompany%20name%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Switch%20Foods%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarted%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%202022%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFounder%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Edward%20Hamod%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Abu%20Dhabi%2C%20UAE%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EIndustry%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Plant-based%20meat%20production%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ENumber%20of%20employees%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%2034%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFunding%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20%246.5%20million%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFunding%20round%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Seed%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestors%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Based%20in%20US%20and%20across%20Middle%20East%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Short-term let permits explained
Homeowners and tenants are allowed to list their properties for rental by registering through the Dubai Tourism website to obtain a permit.
Tenants also require a letter of no objection from their landlord before being allowed to list the property.
There is a cost of Dh1,590 before starting the process, with an additional licence fee of Dh300 per bedroom being rented in your home for the duration of the rental, which ranges from three months to a year.
Anyone hoping to list a property for rental must also provide a copy of their title deeds and Ejari, as well as their Emirates ID.
Diriyah%20project%20at%20a%20glance
%3Cp%3E-%20Diriyah%E2%80%99s%201.9km%20King%20Salman%20Boulevard%2C%20a%20Parisian%20Champs-Elysees-inspired%20avenue%2C%20is%20scheduled%20for%20completion%20in%202028%0D%3Cbr%3E-%20The%20Royal%20Diriyah%20Opera%20House%20is%20expected%20to%20be%20completed%20in%20four%20years%0D%3Cbr%3E-%20Diriyah%E2%80%99s%20first%20of%2042%20hotels%2C%20the%20Bab%20Samhan%20hotel%2C%20will%20open%20in%20the%20first%20quarter%20of%202024%0D%3Cbr%3E-%20On%20completion%20in%202030%2C%20the%20Diriyah%20project%20is%20forecast%20to%20accommodate%20more%20than%20100%2C000%20people%0D%3Cbr%3E-%20The%20%2463.2%20billion%20Diriyah%20project%20will%20contribute%20%247.2%20billion%20to%20the%20kingdom%E2%80%99s%20GDP%0D%3Cbr%3E-%20It%20will%20create%20more%20than%20178%2C000%20jobs%20and%20aims%20to%20attract%20more%20than%2050%20million%20visits%20a%20year%0D%3Cbr%3E-%20About%202%2C000%20people%20work%20for%20the%20Diriyah%20Company%2C%20with%20more%20than%2086%20per%20cent%20being%20Saudi%20citizens%0D%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
The National's picks
4.35pm: Tilal Al Khalediah
5.10pm: Continous
5.45pm: Raging Torrent
6.20pm: West Acre
7pm: Flood Zone
7.40pm: Straight No Chaser
8.15pm: Romantic Warrior
8.50pm: Calandogan
9.30pm: Forever Young
Types of policy
Term life insurance: this is the cheapest and most-popular form of life cover. You pay a regular monthly premium for a pre-agreed period, typically anything between five and 25 years, or possibly longer. If you die within that time, the policy will pay a cash lump sum, which is typically tax-free even outside the UAE. If you die after the policy ends, you do not get anything in return. There is no cash-in value at any time. Once you stop paying premiums, cover stops.
Whole-of-life insurance: as its name suggests, this type of life cover is designed to run for the rest of your life. You pay regular monthly premiums and in return, get a guaranteed cash lump sum whenever you die. As a result, premiums are typically much higher than one term life insurance, although they do not usually increase with age. In some cases, you have to keep up premiums for as long as you live, although there may be a cut-off period, say, at age 80 but it can go as high as 95. There are penalties if you don’t last the course and you may get a lot less than you paid in.
Critical illness cover: this pays a cash lump sum if you suffer from a serious illness such as cancer, heart disease or stroke. Some policies cover as many as 50 different illnesses, although cancer triggers by far the most claims. The payout is designed to cover major financial responsibilities such as a mortgage or children’s education fees if you fall ill and are unable to work. It is cost effective to combine it with life insurance, with the policy paying out once if you either die or suffer a serious illness.
Income protection: this pays a replacement income if you fall ill and are unable to continue working. On the best policies, this will continue either until you recover, or reach retirement age. Unlike critical illness cover, policies will typically pay out for stress and musculoskeletal problems such as back trouble.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Going grey? A stylist's advice
If you’re going to go grey, a great style, well-cared for hair (in a sleek, classy style, like a bob), and a young spirit and attitude go a long way, says Maria Dowling, founder of the Maria Dowling Salon in Dubai.
It’s easier to go grey from a lighter colour, so you may want to do that first. And this is the time to try a shorter style, she advises. Then a stylist can introduce highlights, start lightening up the roots, and let it fade out. Once it’s entirely grey, a purple shampoo will prevent yellowing.
“Get professional help – there’s no other way to go around it,” she says. “And don’t just let it grow out because that looks really bad. Put effort into it: properly condition, straighten, get regular trims, make sure it’s glossy.”
