Ikramullah was at work at a car wash in Kandahar city on Saturday when he got an urgent call from his family.
The 28-year-old rushed home to find a group of armed Taliban fighters had arrived at his house, demanding that they leave the property in the next three days.
“They came in their ranger cars and ordered us to leave the house in three days. They wanted to take our house with their gun power and force,” he told The National. “They said we were not even allowed any of the items or even the windows, doors, water tank or anything else that we had invested in these houses”.
Ikramullah, whose name has been changed to protect his identity, is among 3,000 families living in the Firqa neighbourhood of Kandahar now left homeless by the Taliban. The area was home to employees of the Afghan government.
Angered by the injustice of losing their homes, hundreds of residents of the southern city, including women, came out to protest.
“The house we live in was given to my father for his service in the army. I have lived there for most of my life. We are 11 members in a family who could become homeless,” Ikramullah said.
The houses at the centre of the dispute were originally allotted to members of various Afghan security departments under previous governments, some that date as far back as the rule of President Mohammed Daoud Khan in the 1970s.
“The Taliban are checking the houses of those who worked for the government and the Taliban demanded that we evacuate. We have lived here for over a decade and invested everything we had to build this house. How can we leave and where do we go?” asked Samiullah, 23, a shopkeeper whose family had also been told to leave the only home they have known.
“They are trying to snatch the roof over our heads, so they can come and live in it, or probably give it to their own families,” he said.
The Kandahar protests are part of growing demonstrations taking place across the country by Afghans dissatisfied with Taliban rule.
In Kabul, repeated demonstrations by women demanding their rights prompted the Taliban to make gatherings illegal. Many women also joined the Kandahar protests to “protect our homes”, an affront to the Taliban regime that has already limited women’s presence in the public sphere.
Every Afghani we had, we spent on building these houses, and they are snatching them from us. What kind of justice is that?
Ikramullah
Ikramullah said the Taliban responded violently to the protests, and he accused them of beating the demonstrators. “Our march ended when Taliban fighters started beating the crowds. We had no option but to leave”, he said.
A local Taliban-appointed official in Kandahar denied accusations that the protests were met with violence.
“Of course, people have the right to raise their voice and share their concern through demonstration,” he told The National.
The official, who requested anonymity, confirmed that the Taliban were attempting to seize the neighbourhood.
“Let’s not forget that this particular neighbourhood has been used to accommodate the security forces and their family members. The local government will have a decision in the coming days or weeks. We understand the people's concern and we expect people to understand our situation as well,” he said.
The Taliban official also said that the governor of Kandahar, Haji Muhammad Wafa, had taken note of protesters' grievances. “There are some confusions on the approach of the evacuation. We have ordered that they can stay until further notice, ” he said. “We are trying to find the best possible solution.”
However, Ikramullah said that despite the governor’s reassurances, the Taliban fighters have been returning to their homes and harassing residents. “The same night the governor said we could stay till further notice, the Taliban returned in their rangers and with their guns, telling us to leave by morning. They even forbade us from taking out belongings,” he said.
“We are poor people. There are nights we sleep without a meal. Every Afghani we had, we spent on building these houses, and they are snatching them from us. What kind of justice is that?” he asked angrily.
“They want to take everything with the power of a weapon. They don’t care about justice and they do not respect the laws and traditions. Everything is about force and oppression,” he added.
MOUNTAINHEAD REVIEW
Starring: Ramy Youssef, Steve Carell, Jason Schwartzman
Director: Jesse Armstrong
Rating: 3.5/5
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Frida%20
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RESULT
Brazil 2 Croatia 0
Brazil: Neymar (69'), Firmino (90' 3)
Muslim Council of Elders condemns terrorism on religious sites
The Muslim Council of Elders has strongly condemned the criminal attacks on religious sites in Britain.
It firmly rejected “acts of terrorism, which constitute a flagrant violation of the sanctity of houses of worship”.
“Attacking places of worship is a form of terrorism and extremism that threatens peace and stability within societies,” it said.
The council also warned against the rise of hate speech, racism, extremism and Islamophobia. It urged the international community to join efforts to promote tolerance and peaceful coexistence.
About Housecall
Date started: July 2020
Founders: Omar and Humaid Alzaabi
Based: Abu Dhabi
Sector: HealthTech
# of staff: 10
Funding to date: Self-funded
ENGLAND SQUAD
For first two Test in India Joe Root (captain), Jofra Archer, Moeen Ali, James Anderson , Dom Bess, Stuart Broad , Rory Burns, Jos Buttler, Zak Crawley, Ben Foakes, Dan Lawrence, Jack Leach, Dom Sibley, Ben Stokes, Olly Stone, Chris Woakes. Reserves James Bracey, Mason Crane, Saqib Mahmood, Matthew Parkinson, Ollie Robinson, Amar Virdi.
Cultural fiesta
What: The Al Burda Festival
When: November 14 (from 10am)
Where: Warehouse421, Abu Dhabi
The Al Burda Festival is a celebration of Islamic art and culture, featuring talks, performances and exhibitions. Organised by the Ministry of Culture and Knowledge Development, this one-day event opens with a session on the future of Islamic art. With this in mind, it is followed by a number of workshops and “masterclass” sessions in everything from calligraphy and typography to geometry and the origins of Islamic design. There will also be discussions on subjects including ‘Who is the Audience for Islamic Art?’ and ‘New Markets for Islamic Design.’ A live performance from Kuwaiti guitarist Yousif Yaseen should be one of the highlights of the day.
The specs
Engine: 4.0-litre V8 twin-turbocharged and three electric motors
Power: Combined output 920hp
Torque: 730Nm at 4,000-7,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed dual-clutch automatic
Fuel consumption: 11.2L/100km
On sale: Now, deliveries expected later in 2025
Price: expected to start at Dh1,432,000
Company%20profile
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Most sought after workplace benefits in the UAE
- Flexible work arrangements
- Pension support
- Mental well-being assistance
- Insurance coverage for optical, dental, alternative medicine, cancer screening
- Financial well-being incentives
RACECARD%20
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UFC%20FIGHT%20NIGHT%3A%20SAUDI%20ARABIA%20RESULTS
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Dust and sand storms compared
Sand storm
- Particle size: Larger, heavier sand grains
- Visibility: Often dramatic with thick "walls" of sand
- Duration: Short-lived, typically localised
- Travel distance: Limited
- Source: Open desert areas with strong winds
Dust storm
- Particle size: Much finer, lightweight particles
- Visibility: Hazy skies but less intense
- Duration: Can linger for days
- Travel distance: Long-range, up to thousands of kilometres
- Source: Can be carried from distant regions
Law%2041.9.4%20of%20men%E2%80%99s%20T20I%20playing%20conditions
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Tentative schedule of 2017/18 Ashes series
1st Test November 23-27, The Gabba, Brisbane
2nd Test December 2-6, Adelaide Oval, Adelaide
3rd Test Dcember 14-18, Waca, Perth
4th Test December 26-30, Melbourne Cricket Ground, Melbourne
5th Test January 4-8, Sydney Cricket Ground, Sydney
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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
The biog
Name: Younis Al Balooshi
Nationality: Emirati
Education: Doctorate degree in forensic medicine at the University of Bonn
Hobbies: Drawing and reading books about graphic design
Know your cyber adversaries
Cryptojacking: Compromises a device or network to mine cryptocurrencies without an organisation's knowledge.
Distributed denial-of-service: Floods systems, servers or networks with information, effectively blocking them.
Man-in-the-middle attack: Intercepts two-way communication to obtain information, spy on participants or alter the outcome.
Malware: Installs itself in a network when a user clicks on a compromised link or email attachment.
Phishing: Aims to secure personal information, such as passwords and credit card numbers.
Ransomware: Encrypts user data, denying access and demands a payment to decrypt it.
Spyware: Collects information without the user's knowledge, which is then passed on to bad actors.
Trojans: Create a backdoor into systems, which becomes a point of entry for an attack.
Viruses: Infect applications in a system and replicate themselves as they go, just like their biological counterparts.
Worms: Send copies of themselves to other users or contacts. They don't attack the system, but they overload it.
Zero-day exploit: Exploits a vulnerability in software before a fix is found.
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
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