Iraq and the US have agreed on a two-year plan for the withdrawal of the US-led anti-ISIS International Coalition but have yet to sign a final agreement, the Iraqi Defence Minister said on Sunday.
The announcement by Thabet Al Abbasi on the pan-Arab Al Hadath satellite channel is the first official statement from the Iraqi government on the agreement reported by The National.
“After several rounds, seven or eight, for the higher military committees between the Iraqi and the US sides, we reached a principle through which we will operate, which is the principle of withdrawal and transitioning the relationship into a sustainable security partnership,” Mr Al Abbasi said.
During his visit to Washington in late July, Iraq and the US agreed the coalition would withdraw from bases in Baghdad and other parts of federal Iraq by September 2025, and from the autonomous northern Kurdistan region by September 2026, he said.
“We were surprised later during our meeting with the US Secretary of Defence [Lloyd] Austin who said that the two years were not enough," Mr Al Abbasi said. “We refused his proposal regarding an [extra] third year."
The escalation in the region and the assassination of Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran in late July had delayed the announcement, he said.
“We are moving forward with our plan and we have established the understandings, and maybe we will sign the agreement within the next few days,” Mr Al Abbasi said.
Baghdad and Washington have been engaged in months of talks on a withdrawal of forces. The US has about 2,500 troops in Iraq and 900 in Syria as part of the international coalition against ISIS.
Coalition forces have been hit dozens of times with drones and rocket fire in Iraq and Syria, as violence related to the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza since early October has drawn in Iran-backed armed groups across the Middle East.
US forces have carried out retaliatory strikes against these groups in both countries.
ISIS seized parts of Iraq and Syria in 2014 and was defeated by Baghdad three years later and in Syria in 2019. But its fighters continue to operate in remote desert areas, although they no longer control any territory. Iraqi security forces say they are capable of tackling ISIS remnants unassisted, as the group poses no significant threat.
More on animal trafficking
Director: Romany Saad
Starring: Mirfat Amin, Boumi Fouad and Tariq Al Ibyari
Types of bank fraud
1) Phishing
Fraudsters send an unsolicited email that appears to be from a financial institution or online retailer. The hoax email requests that you provide sensitive information, often by clicking on to a link leading to a fake website.
2) Smishing
The SMS equivalent of phishing. Fraudsters falsify the telephone number through “text spoofing,” so that it appears to be a genuine text from the bank.
3) Vishing
The telephone equivalent of phishing and smishing. Fraudsters may pose as bank staff, police or government officials. They may persuade the consumer to transfer money or divulge personal information.
4) SIM swap
Fraudsters duplicate the SIM of your mobile number without your knowledge or authorisation, allowing them to conduct financial transactions with your bank.
5) Identity theft
Someone illegally obtains your confidential information, through various ways, such as theft of your wallet, bank and utility bill statements, computer intrusion and social networks.
6) Prize scams
Fraudsters claiming to be authorised representatives from well-known organisations (such as Etisalat, du, Dubai Shopping Festival, Expo2020, Lulu Hypermarket etc) contact victims to tell them they have won a cash prize and request them to share confidential banking details to transfer the prize money.
The White Lotus: Season three
Creator: Mike White
Starring: Walton Goggins, Jason Isaacs, Natasha Rothwell
Rating: 4.5/5
57%20Seconds
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDirector%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Rusty%20Cundieff%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStars%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EJosh%20Hutcherson%2C%20Morgan%20Freeman%2C%20Greg%20Germann%2C%20Lovie%20Simone%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E2%2F5%0D%3Cbr%3E%0D%3Cbr%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
ESSENTIALS
The flights
Emirates flies from Dubai to Phnom Penh via Yangon from Dh2,700 return including taxes. Cambodia Bayon Airlines and Cambodia Angkor Air offer return flights from Phnom Penh to Siem Reap from Dh250 return including taxes. The flight takes about 45 minutes.
The hotels
Rooms at the Raffles Le Royal in Phnom Penh cost from $225 (Dh826) per night including taxes. Rooms at the Grand Hotel d'Angkor cost from $261 (Dh960) per night including taxes.
The tours
A cyclo architecture tour of Phnom Penh costs from $20 (Dh75) per person for about three hours, with Khmer Architecture Tours. Tailor-made tours of all of Cambodia, or sites like Angkor alone, can be arranged by About Asia Travel. Emirates Holidays also offers packages.
The specs
AT4 Ultimate, as tested
Engine: 6.2-litre V8
Power: 420hp
Torque: 623Nm
Transmission: 10-speed automatic
Price: From Dh330,800 (Elevation: Dh236,400; AT4: Dh286,800; Denali: Dh345,800)
On sale: Now
Real estate tokenisation project
Dubai launched the pilot phase of its real estate tokenisation project last month.
The initiative focuses on converting real estate assets into digital tokens recorded on blockchain technology and helps in streamlining the process of buying, selling and investing, the Dubai Land Department said.
Dubai’s real estate tokenisation market is projected to reach Dh60 billion ($16.33 billion) by 2033, representing 7 per cent of the emirate’s total property transactions, according to the DLD.
