A Kurdish-dominated fief in north-eastern Syria run by a US-backed militia is facing the threat of quick extinction as an Arab uprising in the region gathers momentum and rebels who ousted Bashar Al Assad five days ago expand their rule to outlying areas of the country.
The militia, the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), and its forerunners were aligned with Mr Al Assad during the civil war and maintained channels of communication with Iran and Russia, the major losing powers from the Syrian president's downfall. The SDF helped the Assad regime crush a peaceful protest movement in 2011 and later capture rebel-held eastern parts of Aleppo city along with other areas. It has been running out of allies since Mr Al Assad's defeat on Sunday to rebels led by Hayat Tahrir Al Sham (HTS), an Al Qaeda offshoot.
Sources on both sides told The National that SDF chief Mazloum Abdi is seeking to meet HTS leader Ahmad Al Shara to negotiate territorial handovers and pledge co-operation in joining any new Syrian army. The SDF is seeking to preserve its hold on the overwhelmingly Kurdish areas in the ethnically mixed east, sources said. The area's population is two to three million.
Mr Al Shara "will not accept anything basically except a surrender", said an HTS field commander deployed in the east, who expected the SDF to pull out soon from the mainly Arab governorate of Raqqa. "The SDF will keep its arms for now but its rule will end."
Mr Al Shara has moved quickly to install a new government in Damascus, staying away from confrontation with the US. Washington created the SDF in 2015 as a ground component in the fight against ISIS in eastern Syria. ISIS and HTS are also enemies.
The US has been scrambling to deal with the fallout from the toppling of Mr Al Assad. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said international support for a new Syria hinged on continuing the fight against ISIS and protecting the country's minorities. Mr Al Assad's rule was underpinned by his Alawite minority, which has dominated Sunni-majority Syria since Alawite officers took power in a 1963 coup. His father, Hafez Al Assad, supported the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), which is still influential in the SDF.
More than 200 people have been killed, mainly by the SDF, since the Arab uprising started in the east shortly after Mr Al Assad's downfall on Sunday, with demonstrations in the city of Deir Ezzor spreading to Raqqa and Hasakah. This has already forced the SDF to withdraw from most of the governorate of Deir Ezzor and the city of Manbij to the north. HTS and an allied Turkish proxy militia have taken over.
Demonstrators in Raqqa and Hasakah started gathering again on Friday, resuming their disobedience movement, as SDF forces stayed away, the sources said.
The tribal east, especially in the Euphrates river valley, is Syria's breadbasket and the source of most of its oil and gas production. Oil output was 200,000 barrels per day before 2011 but has fallen by 75 per cent since. The area also contains the bulk of the US military presence in Syria.
Two major US enemies, Russia and Iran, had also carved zones of control in Syria before Mr Al Assad's downfall, along with Turkey, the main winner in the immediate aftermath of his removal.
An official in the SDF-run administration in the east said Mr Abdi would be willing to relinquish the province of Raqqa. Already the administration has switched from flying the regime flag to the rebel flag, in a sign of trying to placate Mr Al Shara.
The official expected Mr Al Shara would continue to avoid confrontation with US forces because he needs them to counter ISIS. Both ISIS and HTS are designated as terrorists by the US, together with the Marxist-Leninist PKK, but this has not prevented the US from co-operating with the PKK-linked SDF.
Since 2011, members of the eastern tribes and clans have been recruited by a number of players in the Syrian civil war: the regime, the Iranians, the Russians, ISIS, the US, Al Nusra – an HTS forerunner – and the Free Syrian Army, which was the nucleus of Syria's rebel forces when founded in 2011.
"The east will sink in a bloodbath if there is any [power] vacuum," the official said. "[Al] Shara does not have the forces to control it alone. For now he needs the SDF."
Key 2013/14 UAE Motorsport dates
October 4: Round One of Rotax Max Challenge, Al Ain (karting)
October 1: 1 Round One of the inaugural UAE Desert Championship (rally)
November 1-3: Abu Dhabi Grand Prix (Formula One)
November 28-30: Dubai International Rally
January 9-11: 24Hrs of Dubai (Touring Cars / Endurance)
March 21: Round 11 of Rotax Max Challenge, Muscat, Oman (karting)
April 4-10: Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge (Endurance)
Tightening the screw on rogue recruiters
The UAE overhauled the procedure to recruit housemaids and domestic workers with a law in 2017 to protect low-income labour from being exploited.
Only recruitment companies authorised by the government are permitted as part of Tadbeer, a network of labour ministry-regulated centres.
A contract must be drawn up for domestic workers, the wages and job offer clearly stating the nature of work.
The contract stating the wages, work entailed and accommodation must be sent to the employee in their home country before they depart for the UAE.
The contract will be signed by the employer and employee when the domestic worker arrives in the UAE.
Only recruitment agencies registered with the ministry can undertake recruitment and employment applications for domestic workers.
Penalties for illegal recruitment in the UAE include fines of up to Dh100,000 and imprisonment
But agents not authorised by the government sidestep the law by illegally getting women into the country on visit visas.
COMPANY%20PROFILE%20
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More on animal trafficking
Company profile: buybackbazaar.com
Name: buybackbazaar.com
Started: January 2018
Founder(s): Pishu Ganglani and Ricky Husaini
Based: Dubai
Sector: FinTech, micro finance
Initial investment: $1 million
Jetour T1 specs
Engine: 2-litre turbocharged
Power: 254hp
Torque: 390Nm
Price: From Dh126,000
Available: Now
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%3Cp%3EAverage%20amount%20of%20biofuel%20produced%20at%20DIC%20factory%20every%20month%3A%20%3Cstrong%3EApproximately%20106%2C000%20litres%3C%2Fstrong%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3EAmount%20of%20biofuel%20produced%20from%201%20litre%20of%20used%20cooking%20oil%3A%20%3Cstrong%3E920ml%20(92%25)%3C%2Fstrong%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3ETime%20required%20for%20one%20full%20cycle%20of%20production%20from%20used%20cooking%20oil%20to%20biofuel%3A%20%3Cstrong%3EOne%20day%3C%2Fstrong%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3EEnergy%20requirements%20for%20one%20cycle%20of%20production%20from%201%2C000%20litres%20of%20used%20cooking%20oil%3A%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3E%E2%96%AA%20Electricity%20-%201.1904%20units%3Cbr%3E%E2%96%AA%20Water-%2031%20litres%3Cbr%3E%E2%96%AA%20Diesel%20%E2%80%93%2026.275%20litres%3C%2Fstrong%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The Year Earth Changed
Directed by:Tom Beard
Narrated by: Sir David Attenborough
Stars: 4
The stats
Ship name: MSC Bellissima
Ship class: Meraviglia Class
Delivery date: February 27, 2019
Gross tonnage: 171,598 GT
Passenger capacity: 5,686
Crew members: 1,536
Number of cabins: 2,217
Length: 315.3 metres
Maximum speed: 22.7 knots (42kph)
MANDOOB
%3Cp%3EDirector%3A%20Ali%20Kalthami%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3EStarring%3A%20Mohammed%20Dokhei%2C%20Sarah%20Taibah%2C%20Hajar%20Alshammari%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3ERating%3A%204%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
GOODBYE%20JULIA
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDirector%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EMohamed%20Kordofani%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarring%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ESiran%20Riak%2C%20Eiman%20Yousif%2C%20Nazar%20Goma%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%205%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
The specs
Engine: 3.8-litre V6
Power: 295hp at 6,000rpm
Torque: 355Nm at 5,200rpm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 10.7L/100km
Price: Dh179,999-plus
On sale: now
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ADCC AFC Women’s Champions League Group A fixtures
October 3: v Wuhan Jiangda Women’s FC
October 6: v Hyundai Steel Red Angels Women’s FC
October 9: v Sabah FA
%3Cp%3EThe%20Department%20of%20Culture%20and%20Tourism%20-%20Abu%20Dhabi%E2%80%99s%20Arabic%20Language%20Centre%20will%20mark%20International%20Women%E2%80%99s%20Day%20at%20the%20Bologna%20Children's%20Book%20Fair%20with%20the%20Abu%20Dhabi%20Translation%20Conference.%20Prolific%20Emirati%20author%20Noora%20Al%20Shammari%2C%20who%20has%20written%20eight%20books%20that%20%20feature%20in%20the%20Ministry%20of%20Education's%20curriculum%2C%20will%20appear%20in%20a%20session%20on%20Wednesday%20to%20discuss%20the%20challenges%20women%20face%20in%20getting%20their%20works%20translated.%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
What is Folia?
Prince Khaled bin Alwaleed bin Talal's new plant-based menu will launch at Four Seasons hotels in Dubai this November. A desire to cater to people looking for clean, healthy meals beyond green salad is what inspired Prince Khaled and American celebrity chef Matthew Kenney to create Folia. The word means "from the leaves" in Latin, and the exclusive menu offers fine plant-based cuisine across Four Seasons properties in Los Angeles, Bahrain and, soon, Dubai.
Kenney specialises in vegan cuisine and is the founder of Plant Food Wine and 20 other restaurants worldwide. "I’ve always appreciated Matthew’s work," says the Saudi royal. "He has a singular culinary talent and his approach to plant-based dining is prescient and unrivalled. I was a fan of his long before we established our professional relationship."
Folia first launched at The Four Seasons Hotel Los Angeles at Beverly Hills in July 2018. It is available at the poolside Cabana Restaurant and for in-room dining across the property, as well as in its private event space. The food is vibrant and colourful, full of fresh dishes such as the hearts of palm ceviche with California fruit, vegetables and edible flowers; green hearb tacos filled with roasted squash and king oyster barbacoa; and a savoury coconut cream pie with macadamia crust.
In March 2019, the Folia menu reached Gulf shores, as it was introduced at the Four Seasons Hotel Bahrain Bay, where it is served at the Bay View Lounge. Next, on Tuesday, November 1 – also known as World Vegan Day – it will come to the UAE, to the Four Seasons Resort Dubai at Jumeirah Beach and the Four Seasons DIFC, both properties Prince Khaled has spent "considerable time at and love".
There are also plans to take Folia to several more locations throughout the Middle East and Europe.
While health-conscious diners will be attracted to the concept, Prince Khaled is careful to stress Folia is "not meant for a specific subset of customers. It is meant for everyone who wants a culinary experience without the negative impact that eating out so often comes with."
THE SPECS
Engine: 1.5-litre
Transmission: 6-speed automatic
Power: 110 horsepower
Torque: 147Nm
Price: From Dh59,700
On sale: now
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Analysis
Members of Syria's Alawite minority community face threat in their heartland after one of the deadliest days in country’s recent history. Read more
