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Sirajuddin Haqqani, the head of the deadly Haqqani network and a high ranking member of the FBI's most-wanted list, is now Afghanistan's interim interior minister. His group reportedly controls security in Kabul, as well as along the Afghanistan-Pakistan border.
What are the Haqqani Network?
So who are the Haqqani network now in a prime position in Afghanistan?
The Haqqanis have been blamed for some of the deadliest attacks in recent years, which have claimed the lives of civilians, government officials and foreign forces.
The shadowy group was formed by Jalaluddin Haqqani, who gained prominence in the 1980s as a hero of the anti-Soviet resistance. At the time, he was a valuable CIA asset as the US and its allies, such as Pakistan, funnelled arms and money to the mujahideen.
During that conflict and following the Soviet withdrawal, Jalaluddin Haqqani fostered close ties with foreign fighters, including Osama bin Laden.
He later allied with the Taliban who took over Afghanistan in 1996, serving as the regime's minister until it was toppled by US-led forces in 2001.
Jalaluddin Haqqani's death after a long illness was announced by the Taliban in 2018, and his son Sirajuddin formally became the network's chief.
Thanks to their financial and military strength, a reputation for ruthlessness, the Haqqani network is considered semi-autonomous, while remaining within the Taliban fold.
Where is the Haqqani Network based?
Mainly based in eastern Afghanistan, with alleged bases across the border in Pakistan's north-west, the group became more visible in the Taliban leadership in recent years, and Sirajuddin Haqqani was appointed deputy leader in 2015.
His younger brother Anas, once jailed and sentenced to death by the previous Afghan government, has held talks with former president Hamid Karzai and former chief executive Abdullah Abdullah since the fall of Kabul.
The Haqqani network is blamed for some of the deadliest and most shocking attacks in Afghanistan during the past two decades.
They have been designated as a foreign terrorist group by the US, and are also under UN sanctions.
The Haqqanis have a reputation for frequently using suicide bombers – including drivers in cars and lorries packed with huge amounts of explosives – and have demonstrated the ability to carry out complex, high-casualty assaults on major targets, including military installations and embassies.
In October 2013, Afghan forces intercepted a Haqqani lorry in eastern Afghanistan that contained about 28 tonnes of explosives, according to the US National Counterterrorism Centre.
The Haqqanis have been accused of assassinations, including an attempt against Mr Karzai when he was president in 2008, as well as kidnapping officials and western citizens for ransom and forcing prisoner exchanges.
They have also long been suspected of links with the Pakistani military establishment. US Admiral Mike Mullen described them as a "veritable arm" of Islamabad's intelligence in 2011.
Pakistan denies the allegation.
What is their connection to the Taliban and Al Qaeda?
The Haqqanis have also hugely contributed to the Taliban's fighting ranks, and are the group's "most combat-ready forces", UN monitors said in a June report.
The monitors also described the network as the "primary liaison" between the Taliban and Al Qaeda.
The Haqqanis have emerged as serious players in the Taliban's political project, with at least two of their leaders in Kabul as talks begin on the formation of the next government.
Sirajuddin Haqqani's formal elevation to the deputy leader position six years ago cemented that role, analysts said.
The release of his brother Anas from Afghan custody in 2019 was viewed as a move to help to initiate the direct US-Taliban talks that eventually led to the troop withdrawal.
Sirajuddin Haqqani even wrote an op-ed in The New York Times last year, outlining the Taliban's position on the US talks and the conflict in Afghanistan, although in diplomatic tones that belied the network's violent reputation.
While Anas Haqqani has held talks with Mr Karzai, his uncle Khalil Haqqani was seen leading prayers in Kabul on Friday.
Sirajuddin and Khalil are both still listed as wanted by the US, with millions of dollars in bounties on offer.
RACE RESULTS
1. Valtteri Bottas (FIN/Mercedes) 1hr 21min 48.527sec
2. Sebastian Vettel (GER/Ferrari) at 0.658sec
3. Daniel Ricciardo (AUS/Red Bull) 6.012
4. Lewis Hamilton (GBR/Mercedes) 7.430
5. Kimi Räikkönen (FIN/Ferrari) 20.370
6. Romain Grosjean (FRA/Haas) 1:13.160
7. Sergio Pérez (MEX/Force India) 1 lap
8. Esteban Ocon (FRA/Force India) 1 lap
9. Felipe Massa (BRA/Williams) 1 lap
10. Lance Stroll (CAN/Williams) 1 lap
11. Jolyon Palmer (GBR/Renault) 1 lap
12. Stoffel Vandoorne (BEL/McLaren) 1 lap
13. Nico Hülkenberg (GER/Renault) 1 lap
14. Pascal Wehrlein (GER/Sauber) 1 lap
15. Marcus Ericsson (SWE/Sauber) 2 laps
16. Daniil Kvyat (RUS/Toro Rosso) 3 laps
The specs: 2019 Infiniti QX50
Price, base: Dh138,000 (estimate)
Engine: 2.0L, turbocharged, in-line four-cylinder
Transmission: Continuously variable transmission
Power: 268hp @ 5,600rpm
Torque: 380Nm @ 4,400rpm
Fuel economy: 6.7L / 100km (estimate)
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
Biog
Mr Kandhari is legally authorised to conduct marriages in the gurdwara
He has officiated weddings of Sikhs and people of different faiths from Malaysia, Sri Lanka, Russia, the US and Canada
Father of two sons, grandfather of six
Plays golf once a week
Enjoys trying new holiday destinations with his wife and family
Walks for an hour every morning
Completed a Bachelor of Commerce degree in Loyola College, Chennai, India
2019 is a milestone because he completes 50 years in business
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
Sole survivors
- Cecelia Crocker was on board Northwest Airlines Flight 255 in 1987 when it crashed in Detroit, killing 154 people, including her parents and brother. The plane had hit a light pole on take off
- George Lamson Jr, from Minnesota, was on a Galaxy Airlines flight that crashed in Reno in 1985, killing 68 people. His entire seat was launched out of the plane
- Bahia Bakari, then 12, survived when a Yemenia Airways flight crashed near the Comoros in 2009, killing 152. She was found clinging to wreckage after floating in the ocean for 13 hours.
- Jim Polehinke was the co-pilot and sole survivor of a 2006 Comair flight that crashed in Lexington, Kentucky, killing 49.
Infiniti QX80 specs
Engine: twin-turbocharged 3.5-liter V6
Power: 450hp
Torque: 700Nm
Price: From Dh450,000, Autograph model from Dh510,000
Available: Now
Get inspired
Here are a couple of Valentine’s Day food products that may or may not go the distance (but have got the internet talking anyway).
Sourdough sentiments: Marks & Spencer in the United Kingdom has introduced a slow-baked sourdough loaf dusted with flour to spell out I (heart) you, at £2 (Dh9.5). While it’s not available in the UAE, there’s nothing to stop you taking the idea and creating your own message of love, stencilled on breakfast-inbed toast.
Crisps playing cupid: Crisp company Tyrells has added a spicy addition to its range for Valentine’s Day. The brand describes the new honey and chilli flavour on Twitter as: “A tenderly bracing duo of the tantalising tingle of chilli with sweet and sticky honey. A helping hand to get your heart racing.” Again, not on sale here, but if you’re tempted you could certainly fashion your own flavour mix (spicy Cheetos and caramel popcorn, anyone?).
Despacito's dominance in numbers
Released: 2017
Peak chart position: No.1 in more than 47 countries, including the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia and Lebanon
Views: 5.3 billion on YouTube
Sales: With 10 million downloads in the US, Despacito became the first Latin single to receive Diamond sales certification
Streams: 1.3 billion combined audio and video by the end of 2017, making it the biggest digital hit of the year.
Awards: 17, including Record of the Year at last year’s prestigious Latin Grammy Awards, as well as five Billboard Music Awards
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Kumulus Water
Started: 2021
Founders: Iheb Triki and Mohamed Ali Abid
Based: Tunisia
Sector: Water technology
Number of staff: 22
Investment raised: $4 million
Scoreline
Bournemouth 2
Wilson 70', Ibe 74'
Arsenal 1
Bellerin 52'
Test
Director: S Sashikanth
Cast: Nayanthara, Siddharth, Meera Jasmine, R Madhavan
Star rating: 2/5
F1 The Movie
Starring: Brad Pitt, Damson Idris, Kerry Condon, Javier Bardem
Director: Joseph Kosinski
Rating: 4/5
Lexus LX700h specs
Engine: 3.4-litre twin-turbo V6 plus supplementary electric motor
Power: 464hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 790Nm from 2,000-3,600rpm
Transmission: 10-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 11.7L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh590,000
WHAT IS A BLACK HOLE?
1. Black holes are objects whose gravity is so strong not even light can escape their pull
2. They can be created when massive stars collapse under their own weight
3. Large black holes can also be formed when smaller ones collide and merge
4. The biggest black holes lurk at the centre of many galaxies, including our own
5. Astronomers believe that when the universe was very young, black holes affected how galaxies formed
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