Security personnel inspect the site of a bomb attack in Kabul. Three separate explosions in Afghanistan's capital on Saturday killed and wounded numerous people. AP
Security personnel inspect the site of a bomb attack in Kabul. Three separate explosions in Afghanistan's capital on Saturday killed and wounded numerous people. AP
Two blasts caused by sticky bombs attached to vehicles took place 15 minutes apart and a third aimed at a police vehicle exploded about two hours later, reports said. AP
Two blasts caused by sticky bombs attached to vehicles took place 15 minutes apart and a third aimed at a police vehicle exploded about two hours later, reports said. AP
The second explosion hit a car in which soldiers were traveling, killing two. A civilian passerby was also killed, reports said. AP
The second explosion hit a car in which soldiers were traveling, killing two. A civilian passerby was also killed, reports said. AP
Most bomb attacks in Kabul in recent months have been sticky bombs — explosive devices with magnets that are attached to vehicles and detonated by remote control or timer. AP
Most bomb attacks in Kabul in recent months have been sticky bombs — explosive devices with magnets that are attached to vehicles and detonated by remote control or timer. AP
The local ISIS affiliate has claimed responsibility for some of the recent attacks. AP
The local ISIS affiliate has claimed responsibility for some of the recent attacks. AP
Afghanistan has seen an increase in bombings, targeted killings and violence on the battlefield as peace negotiations between the Taliban and the government have stalled. AP
Afghanistan has seen an increase in bombings, targeted killings and violence on the battlefield as peace negotiations between the Taliban and the government have stalled. AP

Asia

Explained: How 'sticky bombs' have become the Taliban's weapon of choice to terrorise Afghanistan

The light and portable devices contributed to a surge in killings in 2020

Nada AlTaher
Nada AlTaher
Abu Dhabi

February 24, 2021

  • English
  • Arabic

"Sticky bombs" have become the weapon of choice for the Taliban during a campaign of assassinations that swept across Afghanistan over the past year.

The US military revived the term "sticky bomb", which was used to describe its original low-tech cousin, the ST grenade, after encounters with the remotely detonated device during the 2003 invasion of Iraq.

ST grenades, used during the Second World War, had a casing that would fall away to expose a sticky area so the device could be attached to a tank. Use of the weapon was eventually abandoned after some grenades stuck to the user, with lethal consequences.

Relatively small, portable and light, the modern equivalent of these bombs have been used to kill thousands of government officials, security personnel, journalists, activists and civilians in Afghanistan since 2001.

Two Afghan soldiers, two police officers and a woman were killed on Saturday in Kabul, with Afghan and US officials blaming the Taliban for the attacks.

A US Army member of the Iraqi Police Transition Team demonstrates how a sticky bomb is typically placed on a vehicle. United States Forces
A US Army member of the Iraqi Police Transition Team demonstrates how a sticky bomb is typically placed on a vehicle. United States Forces

The Taliban have not claimed responsibility for the killings.

Making one or more people travelling in a vehicle the targets for attacks is a departure from the mass casualty-style suicide attacks that killed civilian in the past.

But the proliferation of sticky bombs in Afghanistan has led to an increase in so-called targeted killings, while the number of civilian casualties – although down in 2020 from the year before – surged.

This has worsened since intra-Afghan talks began and became deadlocked in September, a UN report said on Tuesday.

Afghanistan remains one of the world's deadliest places for civilians, the UN said.

"One belief that I and many other analysts share, is that the Taliban have been trying to remain as active as possible and carry out as much violence as possible, but at a lower threshold, which might still permit them to convince the Americans that they're engaging with the peace process that's supposed to be initiated," International Crisis Group's senior analyst on Afghanistan, Andrew Watkins, told The National.

He said that suicide bombings have not entirely "gone away" in the country. But the Taliban have acknowledged that they favour the use of sticky bombs.

In 2012, Qari Yousef Ahmadi was quoted as saying the group used the bombs in the "right situations".

He also said that the Taliban had the know-how to manufacture the devices.

“Evidence from arrests, raids and seizures by Afghan security forces shows that these devices are being assembled and manufactured in the country,” Mr Watkins said.

But the bombs could be sent to the insurgents from outside the country, he said.

"Many suspect that they came from Pakistan and the historical trend of Pakistan's state support to the Taliban in a variety of ways. Now, some point to Iran as a supplier of low-tech, small-scale weaponry to the Taliban or certain elements of the Taliban," he said.

The Taliban uses several tactics to not only smuggle equipment through checkpoints, but conduct surveillance and reconnaissance operations. One of the tactics involves using children.

An Afghan man looks through a glass window damaged after a bombing attack in Kabul, Afghanistan. The strong car bomb explosion rocked the capital Kabul city on Sunday morning, killing multiple people, said a government official. AP Photo
An Afghan man looks through a glass window damaged after a bombing attack in Kabul, Afghanistan. The strong car bomb explosion rocked the capital Kabul city on Sunday morning, killing multiple people, said a government official. AP Photo
Afghan security personnel inspect the site of a bombing attack in Kabul, Afghanistan. The strong car bomb explosion rocked the capital Kabul city on Sunday morning, killing multiple people, said a government official. AP Photo
Afghan security personnel inspect the site of a bombing attack in Kabul, Afghanistan. The strong car bomb explosion rocked the capital Kabul city on Sunday morning, killing multiple people, said a government official. AP Photo
Afghan security personnel inspect the site of a bombing attack in Kabul, Afghanistan. The strong car bomb explosion rocked the capital Kabul city on Sunday morning, killing multiple people, said a government official. AP Photo
Afghan security personnel inspect the site of a bombing attack in Kabul, Afghanistan. The strong car bomb explosion rocked the capital Kabul city on Sunday morning, killing multiple people, said a government official. AP Photo
Afghan security personnel inspect the site of a bombing attack in Kabul, Afghanistan. The strong car bomb explosion rocked the capital Kabul city on Sunday morning, killing multiple people, said a government official. AP Photo
Afghan security personnel inspect the site of a bombing attack in Kabul, Afghanistan. The strong car bomb explosion rocked the capital Kabul city on Sunday morning, killing multiple people, said a government official. AP Photo
Afghan security personnel inspect the site of a bombing attack in Kabul, Afghanistan. The strong car bomb explosion rocked the capital Kabul city on Sunday morning, killing multiple people, said a government official. AP Photo
Afghan security personnel inspect the site of a bombing attack in Kabul, Afghanistan. The strong car bomb explosion rocked the capital Kabul city on Sunday morning, killing multiple people, said a government official. AP Photo
Afghan security personnel inspect the site of a bombing attack in Kabul, Afghanistan. The strong car bomb explosion rocked the capital Kabul city on Sunday morning, killing multiple people, said a government official. AP Photo
Afghan security personnel inspect the site of a bombing attack in Kabul, Afghanistan. The strong car bomb explosion rocked the capital Kabul city on Sunday morning, killing multiple people, said a government official. AP Photo
Smoke rises from fire on the street after explosion in Kabul, Afghanistan in this still image taken from social media video. REUTERS
Smoke rises from fire on the street after explosion in Kabul, Afghanistan in this still image taken from social media video. REUTERS

"Underage children are used to spot vehicles, track licence plates, or carry the smaller devices into certain areas. No one at a check point is checking children's book bags," Mr Watkins said.

The frequency of sticky bomb attacks is causing fear throughout Afghanistan.

"After breakfast, I take a few minutes to think which route I should take to work to stay alive. The fear is intense," Rahmatullah Rahim, a bureaucrat in the Ministry of Justice, told Reuters in December.

Christopher Robin
Starring: Ewan McGregor, Haley Atwell, Jim Cummings, Peter Capaldi
Three stars

On Women's Day
Did you know?

Brunch has been around, is some form or another, for more than a century. The word was first mentioned in print in an 1895 edition of Hunter’s Weekly, after making the rounds among university students in Britain. The article, entitled Brunch: A Plea, argued the case for a later, more sociable weekend meal. “By eliminating the need to get up early on Sunday, brunch would make life brighter for Saturday night carousers. It would promote human happiness in other ways as well,” the piece read. “It is talk-compelling. It puts you in a good temper, it makes you satisfied with yourself and your fellow beings, it sweeps away the worries and cobwebs of the week.” More than 100 years later, author Guy Beringer’s words still ring true, especially in the UAE, where brunches are often used to mark special, sociable occasions.

Drivers’ championship standings after Singapore:

1. Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes - 263
2. Sebastian Vettel, Ferrari - 235
3. Valtteri Bottas, Mercedes - 212
4. Daniel Ricciardo, Red Bull - 162
5. Kimi Raikkonen, Ferrari - 138
6. Sergio Perez, Force India - 68

Global state-owned investor ranking by size

1.

United States

2.

China

3.

UAE

4.

Japan

5

Norway

6.

Canada

7.

Singapore

8.

Australia

9.

Saudi Arabia

10.

South Korea
Red flags
  • Promises of high, fixed or 'guaranteed' returns.
  • Unregulated structured products or complex investments often used to bypass traditional safeguards.
  • Lack of clear information, vague language, no access to audited financials.
  • Overseas companies targeting investors in other jurisdictions - this can make legal recovery difficult.
  • Hard-selling tactics - creating urgency, offering 'exclusive' deals.

Courtesy: Carol Glynn, founder of Conscious Finance Coaching

Company%20profile
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ECompany%20name%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Fasset%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarted%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E2019%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFounders%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Mohammad%20Raafi%20Hossain%2C%20Daniel%20Ahmed%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Dubai%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ESector%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EFinTech%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInitial%20investment%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20%242.45%20million%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ECurrent%20number%20of%20staff%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%2086%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestment%20stage%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Pre-series%20B%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestors%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Investcorp%2C%20Liberty%20City%20Ventures%2C%20Fatima%20Gobi%20Ventures%2C%20Primal%20Capital%2C%20Wealthwell%20Ventures%2C%20FHS%20Capital%2C%20VN2%20Capital%2C%20local%20family%20offices%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
On Women's Day
BRAZIL SQUAD

Alisson (Liverpool), Daniel Fuzato (Roma), Ederson (Man City); Alex Sandro (Juventus), Danilo (Juventus), Eder Militao (Real Madrid), Emerson (Real Betis), Felipe (Atletico Madrid), Marquinhos (PSG), Renan Lodi (Atletico Madrid), Thiago Silva (PSG); Arthur (Barcelona), Casemiro (Real Madrid), Douglas Luiz (Aston Villa), Fabinho (Liverpool), Lucas Paqueta (AC Milan), Philippe Coutinho (Bayern Munich); David Neres (Ajax), Gabriel Jesus (Man City), Richarlison (Everton), Roberto Firmino (Liverpool), Rodrygo (Real Madrid), Willian (Chelsea).

Zakat definitions

Zakat: an Arabic word meaning ‘to cleanse’ or ‘purification’.

Nisab: the minimum amount that a Muslim must have before being obliged to pay zakat. Traditionally, the nisab threshold was 87.48 grams of gold, or 612.36 grams of silver. The monetary value of the nisab therefore varies by current prices and currencies.

Zakat Al Mal: the ‘cleansing’ of wealth, as one of the five pillars of Islam; a spiritual duty for all Muslims meeting the ‘nisab’ wealth criteria in a lunar year, to pay 2.5 per cent of their wealth in alms to the deserving and needy.

Zakat Al Fitr: a donation to charity given during Ramadan, before Eid Al Fitr, in the form of food. Every adult Muslim who possesses food in excess of the needs of themselves and their family must pay two qadahs (an old measure just over 2 kilograms) of flour, wheat, barley or rice from each person in a household, as a minimum.

MATCH INFO

Uefa Champions League semi-final, first leg

Barcelona v Liverpool, Wednesday, 11pm (UAE).

Second leg

Liverpool v Barcelona, Tuesday, May 7, 11pm

Games on BeIN Sports

Killing of Qassem Suleimani
KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI
While you're here
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
While you're here

Profile of Foodics

Founders: Ahmad AlZaini and Mosab AlOthmani

Based: Riyadh

Sector: Software

Employees: 150

Amount raised: $8m through seed and Series A - Series B raise ongoing

Funders: Raed Advanced Investment Co, Al-Riyadh Al Walid Investment Co, 500 Falcons, SWM Investment, AlShoaibah SPV, Faith Capital, Technology Investments Co, Savour Holding, Future Resources, Derayah Custody Co.

The five pillars of Islam

1. Fasting 

2. Prayer 

3. Hajj 

4. Shahada 

5. Zakat 

The specs
  • Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
  • Power: 640hp
  • Torque: 760nm
  • On sale: 2026
  • Price: Not announced yet
Bawaal%20
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDirector%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Nitesh%20Tiwari%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EStars%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Varun%20Dhawan%2C%20Janhvi%20Kapoor%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%201%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Score

New Zealand 266 for 9 in 50 overs
Pakistan 219 all out in 47.2 overs 

New Zealand win by 47 runs

New Zealand lead three-match ODI series 1-0

Next match: Zayed Cricket Stadium, Abu Dhabi, Friday

While you're here
On racial profiling at airports
Women's Prize for Fiction shortlist

The Silence of the Girls by Pat Barker

My Sister, the Serial Killer by Oyinkan Braithwaite

Milkman by Anna Burns

Ordinary People by Diana Evans

An American Marriage by Tayari Jones

Circe by Madeline Miller

GRAN%20TURISMO
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The specs

Engine: 2.2-litre, turbodiesel

Transmission: 6-speed auto

Power: 160hp

Torque: 385Nm

Price: Dh116,900

On sale: now

Company%20Profile
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Tailors and retailers miss out on back-to-school rush

Tailors and retailers across the city said it was an ominous start to what is usually a busy season for sales.
With many parents opting to continue home learning for their children, the usual rush to buy school uniforms was muted this year.
“So far we have taken about 70 to 80 orders for items like shirts and trousers,” said Vikram Attrai, manager at Stallion Bespoke Tailors in Dubai.
“Last year in the same period we had about 200 orders and lots of demand.
“We custom fit uniform pieces and use materials such as cotton, wool and cashmere.
“Depending on size, a white shirt with logo is priced at about Dh100 to Dh150 and shorts, trousers, skirts and dresses cost between Dh150 to Dh250 a piece.”

A spokesman for Threads, a uniform shop based in Times Square Centre Dubai, said customer footfall had slowed down dramatically over the past few months.

“Now parents have the option to keep children doing online learning they don’t need uniforms so it has quietened down.”

Sunday's fixtures
  • Bournemouth v Southampton, 5.30pm
  • Manchester City v West Ham United, 8pm
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