The Taliban-appointed governor of Afghanistan's Balkh province was killed in an explosion on Thursday, police have confirmed.
Dawood Muzamal was killed in a blast at his office in the provincial capital of Mazar-i Sharif, police spokesman Mohammed Asif Waziri said.
Two others also died and seven were wounded in the blast, which took place during a high-level meeting, the spokesman said. The cause of the explosion was unclear.
Despite claims it has improved security, violence has increased since the Afghanistan since the Taliban's rapid takeover in 2021.
No one immediately claimed responsibility for the blast, although ISIS is known to target the Taliban and often attacks mosques and buildings known to be linked to the Afghan terrorist group.
ISIS killed four people, including members of the Taliban, in an attack on a military airfield in January, followed by another deadly attack near the foreign ministry.
Four people were also killed in October in a blast at a mosque close to the Taliban's interior ministry in Kabul.
ISIS has previously bombed mosques in Mazar-i Sharif, killing dozens at a Shiite mosque in April last year.
The Taliban itself has also carried out attacks, targeting the Hazara minority.
It returned to power in 2021 after two decades of insurgency against the US-led regime in a takeover, sparking a huge displacement crisis as thousands fled their advances.
The fundamentalist group has vastly restricted women's rights, banning them from schools and universities and most areas of public life.
On Wednesday, UN officials condemned the Taliban for its acts of "national self harm" in confining women to their homes.
Those actions have made it the world's most repressive country for women and girls, according to the UN Mission for Afghanistan.
How to apply for a drone permit
- Individuals must register on UAE Drone app or website using their UAE Pass
- Add all their personal details, including name, nationality, passport number, Emiratis ID, email and phone number
- Upload the training certificate from a centre accredited by the GCAA
- Submit their request
What are the regulations?
- Fly it within visual line of sight
- Never over populated areas
- Ensure maximum flying height of 400 feet (122 metres) above ground level is not crossed
- Users must avoid flying over restricted areas listed on the UAE Drone app
- Only fly the drone during the day, and never at night
- Should have a live feed of the drone flight
- Drones must weigh 5 kg or less
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
Water waste
In the UAE’s arid climate, small shrubs, bushes and flower beds usually require about six litres of water per square metre, daily. That increases to 12 litres per square metre a day for small trees, and 300 litres for palm trees.
Horticulturists suggest the best time for watering is before 8am or after 6pm, when water won't be dried up by the sun.
A global report published by the Water Resources Institute in August, ranked the UAE 10th out of 164 nations where water supplies are most stretched.
The Emirates is the world’s third largest per capita water consumer after the US and Canada.
Tewellah by Nawal Zoghbi is out now.
If you go...
Fly from Dubai or Abu Dhabi to Chiang Mai in Thailand, via Bangkok, before taking a five-hour bus ride across the Laos border to Huay Xai. The land border crossing at Huay Xai is a well-trodden route, meaning entry is swift, though travellers should be aware of visa requirements for both countries.
Flights from Dubai start at Dh4,000 return with Emirates, while Etihad flights from Abu Dhabi start at Dh2,000. Local buses can be booked in Chiang Mai from around Dh50
Our family matters legal consultant
Name: Dr Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
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'Dark Waters'
Directed by: Todd Haynes
Starring: Mark Ruffalo, Anne Hathaway, William Jackson Harper
Rating: ****
PROFILE OF HALAN
Started: November 2017
Founders: Mounir Nakhla, Ahmed Mohsen and Mohamed Aboulnaga
Based: Cairo, Egypt
Sector: transport and logistics
Size: 150 employees
Investment: approximately $8 million
Investors include: Singapore’s Battery Road Digital Holdings, Egypt’s Algebra Ventures, Uber co-founder and former CTO Oscar Salazar
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
The Outsider
Stephen King, Penguin
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Killing of Qassem Suleimani
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
