An Afghan teenage girl is being celebrated as a hero after she took her family's AK-47 and shot dead two Taliban insurgents who barged into her home and killed her parents.
Late on Friday night, Taliban fighters knocked on 16-year-old Qamar Gul's family home in Geriveh village of central Ghor province, looking for her father Malikzada, the chieftain of the village and a vocal critic of the insurgents.
I no longer fear them and I'm ready to fight them again
“They took both my father and mother out and shot them in front of my eyes," Gul said on Wednesday.
"I was terrified," but moments later, "anger took over", she said.
"I had no other choice but to take my father’s gun and fire on them. Two of them were killed and another one of them was wounded," she said.
Gul's brother Habibullah, 12, was asleep at the time of the attack but awoke to join his sister, fighting the insurgents for more than an hour.
Gul said her brother helped when one of the insurgents, who appeared to be the group's leader, tried to return fire.
"My brother took the gun from me and hit (shot) him. The fighter ran away injured, only to return later," Gul said. "I kept fighting them with my brother until other villagers came and then they [Taliban] escaped.”
Gul said her father had taught her how to shoot an AK-47 assault rifle.
"I am proud I killed my parents' murderers," she said.
"I killed them because they killed my parents, and also because I knew they would come for me and my little brother."
Gul regrets she was unable to say goodbye to her mother and father.
"After I killed the two Taliban, I went to talk to my parents, but they were not breathing," she said.
"I feel sad, I could not talk to them one last time."
But, Gul said, she is no longer afraid.
"I no longer fear them and I'm ready to fight them again."
Aref Aber, a spokesman for the provincial government, gave more details of the incident.
"Taliban armed militants tried to enter their house late at night and Gul's mother did not open the door as she knew that Taliban would harm her family," Mr Aber told The National. "The mother was immediately killed at the entrance by the attackers and they entered the house and shot Malikzada on the spot."
The New York Times reported on Wednesday that the killings at Gul's home also involved a family feud – and that one of the attackers was the girl's husband.
The paper, quoting Gul's relatives and officials, said he was seeking her "forcible return" after a falling-out with her family.
Local officials including police official Habib ur Rehman, however, said that Malikzada had received several threats against his life for supporting the government.
Abdul Rehman, a provincial government official, said that Gul and Habibullah were safe and in government custody.
"They are fine now but went through a difficult time and were in shock," Mr Rehman said.
"Both Gul and Habibullah could not speak initially but are getting better now and feeling good,"
Their actions drew appreciation from President Ashraf Ghani in a Cabinet meeting, and an invitation to visit the presidential palace.
Mr Ghani also praised Gul for "defending her family against a ruthless enemy", his spokesman Sediq Sediqqi told AFP.
A Taliban spokesman has confirmed an operation took place in the area of the attack but denied any of the group's fighters had been killed by a woman.
A photograph of Gul wearing a headscarf with an AK-47 in her lap was shared widely on social media over the past few days, with people praising her act of bravery.
"They received two titles at one night: heroes and orphans," one Facebook user said.
"She is a symbol of bravery and resistance," another post said.
In Ghor, Taliban fighters often threaten and kill people they suspect are informers for the Afghan army and the government, or are vocal supporters of Kabul.
Despite the peace agreement with the US, the Taliban continued to kill and attack troops and civilians across the war-torn country.
A suicide bomber detonated a car bomb on Monday beside a convoy of Afghan military troops in Wardak province, killing eight soldiers.
The specs
Engine: 8.0-litre, quad-turbo 16-cylinder
Transmission: 7-speed auto
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Director: Maggie Gyllenhaal
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Rating: 4/5
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- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
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New process leads to panic among jobseekers
As a UAE-based travel agent who processes tourist visas from the Philippines, Jennifer Pacia Gado is fielding a lot of calls from concerned travellers just now. And they are all asking the same question.
“My clients are mostly Filipinos, and they [all want to know] about good conduct certificates,” says the 34-year-old Filipina, who has lived in the UAE for five years.
Ms Gado contacted the Philippines Embassy to get more information on the certificate so she can share it with her clients. She says many are worried about the process and associated costs – which could be as high as Dh500 to obtain and attest a good conduct certificate from the Philippines for jobseekers already living in the UAE.
“They are worried about this because when they arrive here without the NBI [National Bureau of Investigation] clearance, it is a hassle because it takes time,” she says.
“They need to go first to the embassy to apply for the application of the NBI clearance. After that they have go to the police station [in the UAE] for the fingerprints. And then they will apply for the special power of attorney so that someone can finish the process in the Philippines. So it is a long process and more expensive if you are doing it from here.”
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Company Profile
Company name: Big Farm Brothers
Started: September 2020
Founders: Vishal Mahajan and Navneet Kaur
Based: Dubai Investment Park 1
Industry: food and agriculture
Initial investment: $205,000
Current staff: eight to 10
Future plan: to expand to other GCC markets
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Engine: 3.8-litre twin-turbo V8
Power: 611bhp
Torque: 620Nm
Transmission: seven-speed automatic
Price: upon application
On sale: now
UAE SQUAD
Mohammed Naveed (captain), Mohamed Usman (vice captain), Ashfaq Ahmed, Chirag Suri, Shaiman Anwar, Mohammed Boota, Ghulam Shabber, Imran Haider, Tahir Mughal, Amir Hayat, Zahoor Khan, Qadeer Ahmed, Fahad Nawaz, Abdul Shakoor, Sultan Ahmed, CP Rizwan
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RACE CARD
5pm: Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan Racing Festival Purebred Arabian Cup Conditions (PA); Dh 200,000 (Turf) 1,600m
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The National photo project
Chris Whiteoak, a photographer at The National, spent months taking some of Jacqui Allan's props around the UAE, positioning them perfectly in front of some of the country's most recognisable landmarks. He placed a pirate on Kite Beach, in front of the Burj Al Arab, the Cheshire Cat from Alice in Wonderland at the Burj Khalifa, and brought one of Allan's snails (Freddie, which represents her grandfather) to the Dubai Frame. In Abu Dhabi, a dinosaur went to Al Ain's Jebel Hafeet. And a flamingo was taken all the way to the Hatta Mountains. This special project suitably brings to life the quirky nature of Allan's prop shop (and Allan herself!).
The biog
Favourite Quote: “Real victories are those that protect human life, not those that result from its destruction emerge from its ashes,” by The late king Hussain of Jordan.
Favourite Hobby: Writing and cooking
Favourite Book: The Prophet by Gibran Khalil Gibran
Company%20Profile
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iPhone XS
With a 5.8-inch screen, it will be an advance version of the iPhone X. It will be dual sim and comes with better battery life, a faster processor and better camera. A new gold colour will be available.
Price: Dh4,229
iPhone XS Max
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iPhone XR
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Apple Watch Series 4
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Our family matters legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
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Real estate tokenisation project
Dubai launched the pilot phase of its real estate tokenisation project last month.
The initiative focuses on converting real estate assets into digital tokens recorded on blockchain technology and helps in streamlining the process of buying, selling and investing, the Dubai Land Department said.
Dubai’s real estate tokenisation market is projected to reach Dh60 billion ($16.33 billion) by 2033, representing 7 per cent of the emirate’s total property transactions, according to the DLD.
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Squid Game season two
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Two stars out of five
Global state-owned investor ranking by size
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The biog
Hometown: Birchgrove, Sydney Australia
Age: 59
Favourite TV series: Outlander Netflix series
Favourite place in the UAE: Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque / desert / Louvre Abu Dhabi
Favourite book: Father of our Nation: Collected Quotes of Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan
Thing you will miss most about the UAE: My friends and family, Formula 1, having Friday's off, desert adventures, and Arabic culture and people
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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