The internationally backed Syrian Democratic Forces, which led the fight against ISIS in north-east Syria, has stopped all joint counter-terrorism operations against the group after Turkey launched attacks on its positions.
The SDF is preparing for a ground invasion by Turkey, after President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's announcement last month that "tanks and soldiers" would soon cross the border following a bombing in central Istanbul that Ankara blames on Kurdish separatists.
“All co-ordination and joint counter-terrorism operations with the coalition [against ISIS]” had been halted, SDF spokesman Aram Henna told Reuters on Friday.
Turkey has carried out extensive shelling of SDF positions in Syria since the bombing, which a former senior US official in the coalition said had killed key personnel in the fight against ISIS.
"In recent months, the SDF has had members of its anti-terror forces killed by Turkey, including a commander of the anti-terror forces Jiyan Tolhildan, a senior commander of the most elite special operations anti-terror forces of the SDF," Col Myles B Caggins III, former spokesman for the US-led coalition against ISIS, told The National.
"A few days ago, more anti-terror troops in Hasakah were killed in Turkish raids. These troops were trained by US Commando Special Forces."
He said another reason for the halt in operations was the need for using "intellectual energy or planning" to protect north-eastern Syria from a potential ground invasion.
"The SDF is still going to have checkpoints and local security points but they are pausing some of the more sophisticated raids," Col Caggins said.
Turkey has blamed a bombing in central Istanbul on November 13, which killed six and wounded 81, on Kurdish separatist groups it sees as the same as the factions that make up the SDF.
The SDF, a grouping of factions led by Kurdish forces, has denied any involvement in the attack.
The SDF conducts most of the anti-ISIS operations with US forces helping in intelligence gathering through helicopters and drones, Col Caggins said.
With SDF forces focused on preparing defences against Turkey, US forces on the ground have also effectively halted counter-ISIS operations.
"Now we just have US troops sitting on the SDF bases and waiting for the situation to pass so they can resume collecting intelligence and planning operations against ISIS," the colonel said.
The SDF received extensively funded training and equipment as they led the ground attack on ISIS that defeated the group in Syria in 2019.
Sporadic ISIS attacks and bombings still take place and the coalition assists the SDF in raiding sleeper cells. It also guards tens of thousands of former ISIS fighters, their families and international recruits who travelled to join the group in Syria.
Despite warnings from both Russia — which backs Syria’s President Bashar Al Assad — and the US — which backs the SDF — not to launch an invasion of north-east Syria, Turkey has been shelling positions and preparing an attack.
Although Turkey says it is targeting militant Kurdish separatists for the attack in Istanbul, Col Caggins says the shelling is already affecting civilians in the region.
"All those attacks from Turkey are a massive distraction and are causing despair and terrorising civilian populations all through northern and eastern Syria, including a variety of people like Christians, Muslims, Kurds, Turkmen and Assyrians," he said.
"They're all under duress and there is likely to be more mass migration and refugees into the Iraqi Kurdistan region, which is even more troubling because winter is approaching."
Col Caggins said Turkey had already bombed and caused damage to vital infrastructure including grin silos and power stations, which are vital for providing heat during the winter.
There is also the risk of escalation with local, pro-Damascus and international soldiers on the ground in north-east Syria.
Farhad Shami, the head of the SDF media centre, confirmed to The National that Russia had sent reinforcements to one of its bases near northern Aleppo in anticipation of a conflict in the north-east.
Mr Shami said the SDF did not have a big presence in that area, but confirmed that Russian heavy weapons were deployed "for the first time" at the base.
He said: "We are in continuous conversations with the Russians as they are the guarantors of peace between us and Syria."
The possible conflict comes at a difficult time with Mr Erdogan signalled that he would be open to a meeting with Mr Al Assad in a bid to end more than a decade of poor Turkish-Syrian relations caused by the decade-long civil war.
"There can be no resentment in politics," he told reporters on Wednesday.
Mr Shami did not comment on what would happen to the SDF, or its relationship with Russia, if Turkish ties with the Syrian government were reinstated.
Results
6.30pm: Mazrat Al Ruwayah Group Two (PA) US$55,000 (Dirt) 1,600m; Winner: Rasi, Harry Bentley (jockey), Sulaiman Al Ghunaimi (trainer).
7.05pm: Meydan Trophy (TB) $100,000 (Turf) 1,900m; Winner: Ya Hayati, William Buick, Charlie Appleby.
7.40pm: Handicap (TB) $135,000 (D) 1,200m; Winner: Bochart, Richard Mullen, Satish Seemar.
8.15pm: Balanchine Group Two (TB) $250,000 (T) 1,800m; Winner: Magic Lily, William Buick, Charlie Appleby.
8.50pm: Handicap (TB) $135,000 (T) 1,000m; Winner: Waady, Jim Crowley, Doug Watson.
9.25pm: Firebreak Stakes Group Three (TB) $200,000 (D) 1,600m; Winner: Capezzano, Mickael Barzalona, Salem bin Ghadayer.
10pm: Handicap (TB) $175,000 (T) 2,410m; Winner: Eynhallow, Mickael Barzalona, Charlie Appleby.
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The specs
Engine: 6.2-litre supercharged V8
Power: 712hp at 6,100rpm
Torque: 881Nm at 4,800rpm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 19.6 l/100km
Price: Dh380,000
On sale: now
The figures behind the event
1) More than 300 in-house cleaning crew
2) 165 staff assigned to sanitise public areas throughout the show
3) 1,000 social distancing stickers
4) 809 hand sanitiser dispensers placed throughout the venue
What are the main cyber security threats?
Cyber crime - This includes fraud, impersonation, scams and deepfake technology, tactics that are increasingly targeting infrastructure and exploiting human vulnerabilities.
Cyber terrorism - Social media platforms are used to spread radical ideologies, misinformation and disinformation, often with the aim of disrupting critical infrastructure such as power grids.
Cyber warfare - Shaped by geopolitical tension, hostile actors seek to infiltrate and compromise national infrastructure, using one country’s systems as a springboard to launch attacks on others.
KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI
The alternatives
• Founded in 2014, Telr is a payment aggregator and gateway with an office in Silicon Oasis. It’s e-commerce entry plan costs Dh349 monthly (plus VAT). QR codes direct customers to an online payment page and merchants can generate payments through messaging apps.
• Business Bay’s Pallapay claims 40,000-plus active merchants who can invoice customers and receive payment by card. Fees range from 1.99 per cent plus Dh1 per transaction depending on payment method and location, such as online or via UAE mobile.
• Tap started in May 2013 in Kuwait, allowing Middle East businesses to bill, accept, receive and make payments online “easier, faster and smoother” via goSell and goCollect. It supports more than 10,000 merchants. Monthly fees range from US$65-100, plus card charges of 2.75-3.75 per cent and Dh1.2 per sale.
• 2checkout’s “all-in-one payment gateway and merchant account” accepts payments in 200-plus markets for 2.4-3.9 per cent, plus a Dh1.2-Dh1.8 currency conversion charge. The US provider processes online shop and mobile transactions and has 17,000-plus active digital commerce users.
• PayPal is probably the best-known online goods payment method - usually used for eBay purchases - but can be used to receive funds, providing everyone’s signed up. Costs from 2.9 per cent plus Dh1.2 per transaction.
Find the right policy for you
Don’t wait until the week you fly to sign up for insurance – get it when you book your trip. Insurance covers you for cancellation and anything else that can go wrong before you leave.
Some insurers, such as World Nomads, allow you to book once you are travelling – but, as Mr Mohammed found out, pre-existing medical conditions are not covered.
Check your credit card before booking insurance to see if you have any travel insurance as a benefit – most UAE banks, such as Emirates NBD, First Abu Dhabi Bank and Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank, have cards that throw in insurance as part of their package. But read the fine print – they may only cover emergencies while you’re travelling, not cancellation before a trip.
Pre-existing medical conditions such as a heart condition, diabetes, epilepsy and even asthma may not be included as standard. Again, check the terms, exclusions and limitations of any insurance carefully.
If you want trip cancellation or curtailment, baggage loss or delay covered, you may need a higher-grade plan, says Ambareen Musa of Souqalmal.com. Decide how much coverage you need for emergency medical expenses or personal liability. Premium insurance packages give up to $1 million (Dh3.7m) in each category, Ms Musa adds.
Don’t wait for days to call your insurer if you need to make a claim. You may be required to notify them within 72 hours. Gather together all receipts, emails and reports to prove that you paid for something, that you didn’t use it and that you did not get reimbursed.
Finally, consider optional extras you may need, says Sarah Pickford of Travel Counsellors, such as a winter sports holiday. Also ensure all individuals can travel independently on that cover, she adds. And remember: “Cheap isn’t necessarily best.”
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The specs: 2018 Nissan Patrol Nismo
Price: base / as tested: Dh382,000
Engine: 5.6-litre V8
Gearbox: Seven-speed automatic
Power: 428hp @ 5,800rpm
Torque: 560Nm @ 3,600rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 12.7L / 100km
BMW M5 specs
Engine: 4.4-litre twin-turbo V-8 petrol enging with additional electric motor
Power: 727hp
Torque: 1,000Nm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 10.6L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh650,000
GAC GS8 Specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
Power: 248hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 400Nm at 1,750-4,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 9.1L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh149,900
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FIXTURES (all times UAE)
Sunday
Brescia v Lazio (3.30pm)
SPAL v Verona (6pm)
Genoa v Sassuolo (9pm)
AS Roma v Torino (11.45pm)
Monday
Bologna v Fiorentina (3.30pm)
AC Milan v Sampdoria (6pm)
Juventus v Cagliari (6pm)
Atalanta v Parma (6pm)
Lecce v Udinese (9pm)
Napoli v Inter Milan (11.45pm)
FFP EXPLAINED
What is Financial Fair Play?
Introduced in 2011 by Uefa, European football’s governing body, it demands that clubs live within their means. Chiefly, spend within their income and not make substantial losses.
What the rules dictate?
The second phase of its implementation limits losses to €30 million (Dh136m) over three seasons. Extra expenditure is permitted for investment in sustainable areas (youth academies, stadium development, etc). Money provided by owners is not viewed as income. Revenue from “related parties” to those owners is assessed by Uefa's “financial control body” to be sure it is a fair value, or in line with market prices.
What are the penalties?
There are a number of punishments, including fines, a loss of prize money or having to reduce squad size for European competition – as happened to PSG in 2014. There is even the threat of a competition ban, which could in theory lead to PSG’s suspension from the Uefa Champions League.
