Taliban hang corpse in main square of Herat in Afghanistan

The Taliban hung a body from a crane in the main square of Herat city in western Afghanistan, witnesses said on Saturday.

Wazir Ahmad Seddiqi, who runs a pharmacy on the side of the square, told AP that four bodies were brought to the main square.

One was hung there and the other three moved to other parts of the city for public display.

The Taliban announced in the square that the four were caught taking part in a kidnapping and were killed by police, Mr Seddiqi said.

Cutting off hands and executions to return to Afghanistan, Taliban official says

Ziaulhaq Jalali, a Taliban-appointed district police chief in Herat, said that after an exchange of gunfire, Taliban members rescued a father and son who had been abducted by four kidnappers.

He said a Taliban fighter and a civilian were wounded by the kidnappers but “the four [kidnappers] were killed in crossfire.”

The Taliban will once again carry out executions and amputations of hands, said Nooruddin Turabi, a founder of the hardline movement.

He was a chief enforcer of the Taliban's harsh interpretation of Sharia when they previously ruled Afghanistan between 1996 and 2001.

Meanwhile, on Saturday, a Taliban official said a roadside bomb hit a Taliban car in the capital of eastern Nangarhar province, wounding at least one person.

No one immediately claimed responsibility for the bombing.

Taliban spokesman Mohammad Hanif said the person wounded in the attack is a municipal worker.

Dhadak 2

Director: Shazia Iqbal

Starring: Siddhant Chaturvedi, Triptii Dimri

Rating: 1/5

How to help

Send “thenational” to the following numbers or call the hotline on: 0502955999
2289 – Dh10
2252 – Dh 50
6025 – Dh20
6027 – Dh 100
6026 – Dh 200

What the law says

Micro-retirement is not a recognised concept or employment status under Federal Decree Law No. 33 of 2021 on the Regulation of Labour Relations (as amended) (UAE Labour Law). As such, it reflects a voluntary work-life balance practice, rather than a recognised legal employment category, according to Dilini Loku, senior associate for law firm Gateley Middle East.

“Some companies may offer formal sabbatical policies or career break programmes; however, beyond such arrangements, there is no automatic right or statutory entitlement to extended breaks,” she explains.

“Any leave taken beyond statutory entitlements, such as annual leave, is typically regarded as unpaid leave in accordance with Article 33 of the UAE Labour Law. While employees may legally take unpaid leave, such requests are subject to the employer’s discretion and require approval.”

If an employee resigns to pursue micro-retirement, the employment contract is terminated, and the employer is under no legal obligation to rehire the employee in the future unless specific contractual agreements are in place (such as return-to-work arrangements), which are generally uncommon, Ms Loku adds.

The specs

Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo

Power: 261hp at 5,500rpm

Torque: 405Nm at 1,750-3,500rpm

Transmission: 9-speed auto

Fuel consumption: 6.9L/100km

On sale: Now

Price: From Dh117,059

Tearful appearance

Chancellor Rachel Reeves set markets on edge as she appeared visibly distraught in parliament on Wednesday.

Legislative setbacks for the government have blown a new hole in the budgetary calculations at a time when the deficit is stubbornly large and the economy is struggling to grow.

She appeared with Keir Starmer on Thursday and the pair embraced, but he had failed to give her his backing as she cried a day earlier.

A spokesman said her upset demeanour was due to a personal matter.