Afghan policemen stand guard at a check point during Eid Al Fitr, a Muslim festival marking the end of Ramadan. REUTERS
Afghan policemen stand guard at a check point during Eid Al Fitr, a Muslim festival marking the end of Ramadan. REUTERS
Children play during Eid Al Fitr. Reuters
Children play during Eid Al Fitr. Reuters
A religious scholar speaks as Muslim devotees offer prayers at the start of the Eid Al Fitr. AFP
A religious scholar speaks as Muslim devotees offer prayers at the start of the Eid Al Fitr. AFP
A religious scholar speaks as Muslim devotees offer prayers at the start of the Eid Al Fitr. AFP
A religious scholar speaks as Muslim devotees offer prayers at the start of the Eid Al Fitr. AFP
Afghans leave after prayers during Eid Al Fitr at a mosque in Kabul. REUTERS
Afghans leave after prayers during Eid Al Fitr at a mosque in Kabul. REUTERS
An Afghan man leaves after prayers during Eid Al-Fitr at a mosque in Kabul, Afghanistan. REUTERS
An Afghan man leaves after prayers during Eid Al-Fitr at a mosque in Kabul, Afghanistan. REUTERS
An Afghan man gestures after the prayers during Eid Al Fitr at a mosque in Kabul, Afghanistan. REUTERS
An Afghan man gestures after the prayers during Eid Al Fitr at a mosque in Kabul, Afghanistan. REUTERS
A man sits outside the Pul-e Khishti mosque at the start of the Eid Al Fitr festival in Kabul on May 24, 2020. AFP
A man sits outside the Pul-e Khishti mosque at the start of the Eid Al Fitr festival in Kabul on May 24, 2020. AFP
A health worker checks the body temperature of a Muslim devotee as a preventive measure against the Covid-19 coronavirus at the start of the Eid Al Fitr at Wazir Akbar Khan mosque in Kabul. AFP
A health worker checks the body temperature of a Muslim devotee as a preventive measure against the Covid-19 coronavirus at the start of the Eid Al Fitr at Wazir Akbar Khan mosque in Kabul. AFP
Afghan men take part in prayers during Eid Al Fitr at a mosque. REUTERS
Afghan men take part in prayers during Eid Al Fitr at a mosque. REUTERS
Afghans leave after prayers during Eid Al Fitr at a mosque in Kabul. REUTERS
Afghans leave after prayers during Eid Al Fitr at a mosque in Kabul. REUTERS
A security officer stops motorists at a checkpoint on a road at the start of the Eid Al Fitr festival. AFP
A security officer stops motorists at a checkpoint on a road at the start of the Eid Al Fitr festival. AFP
Muslims offer prayers at the start of the Eid Al Fitr at the Wazir Akbar Khan mosque in Kabul on May 24, 2020. AFP
Muslims offer prayers at the start of the Eid Al Fitr at the Wazir Akbar Khan mosque in Kabul on May 24, 2020. AFP
An Afghan man wearing a protective face mask takes part in prayers during Eid Al Fitr. Reuters
An Afghan man wearing a protective face mask takes part in prayers during Eid Al Fitr. Reuters
Afghan policemen take part in prayers during Eid Al Fitr in Kabul, Afghanistan May 24, 2020. REUTERS
Afghan policemen take part in prayers during Eid Al Fitr in Kabul, Afghanistan May 24, 2020. REUTERS
Men offer Eid Al Fitr prayers outside a mosque in Kabul. AP
Men offer Eid Al Fitr prayers outside a mosque in Kabul. AP
An Afghan boy prepares sweets at a traditional bakery for Eid Al Fitr holiday to mark the end of Ramadan. AP
An Afghan boy prepares sweets at a traditional bakery for Eid Al Fitr holiday to mark the end of Ramadan. AP
Afghan men prepare sweets at a traditional bakery for Eid Al Fitr holiday to mark the end of Ramadan. AP
Afghan men prepare sweets at a traditional bakery for Eid Al Fitr holiday to mark the end of Ramadan. AP
Afghan men prepare sweets at a traditional bakery for Eid Al Fitr holiday to mark the end of Ramadan. AP
Afghan men prepare sweets at a traditional bakery for Eid Al Fitr holiday to mark the end of Ramadan. AP

Afghan troops kill an ISIS intel chief in Jalalabad

Assadullah Orakzai was suspected of being involved in several deadly attacks against both military and civilian targets

Associated Press

August 02, 2020

  • English
  • Arabic

The Afghan intelligence service says it has killed a high-ranking official with the ISIS affiliate in an operation in eastern Afghanistan.

A statement released by the National Directorate of Security late on Saturday said Assadullah Orakzai was an intelligence leader for ISIS and special forces killed him near Jalalabad.

Orakzai was suspected of being involved in several deadly attacks against both military and civilian targets in Afghanistan.

Last week, a United Nations report said Afghanistan saw a 13 per cent drop in the number of civilians killed and wounded in violence across the country in the first six months of the year, compared to the same period last year.

The report credited the drop in casualties in part to the reduction of operations by international forces – which now only act when called upon and in support of the Afghan forces – and also to a decrease in the number of attacks by ISIS.

Read More

Taliban announce Eid Al Adha Afghanistan ceasefire

Thousands of Pakistani Taliban militants in Afghanistan, UN says

The report said the UN had recorded 17 attacks by ISIS causing civilian casualties during the first six months of 2020, down from 97 attacks in the same period last year. Overall, the UN said 1,282 people were killed in violence in the first six months of 2020 in Afghanistan and 2,176 were wounded.

In March, a lone ISIS gunman rampaged through a Sikh house of worship in the heart of the Afghan capital, killing 25 worshippers and wounding eight.

The gunman held many worshippers hostage for several hours while Afghan special forces, helped by international troops, tried to clear the building. At least one of the dead was a child.

Within hours, ISIS claimed responsibility for the attack.

The Afghan special forces rescued at least 80 worshippers who had been trapped inside the Sikh house of worship, known as a Gurdwara, as the gunman lobbed grenades and fired his automatic rifle into the crowd.

Main report
MATCH INFO

Uefa Champions League final:

Who: Real Madrid v Liverpool
Where: NSC Olimpiyskiy Stadium, Kiev, Ukraine
When: Saturday, May 26, 10.45pm (UAE)
TV: Match on BeIN Sports

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Director: S Shankar

Producer: Lyca Productions; presented by Dharma Films

Cast: Rajnikanth, Akshay Kumar, Amy Jackson, Sudhanshu Pandey

Rating: 3.5/5 stars

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Fourth-round clashes for British players

- Andy Murray (1) v Benoit Paire, Centre Court (not before 4pm)

- Johanna Konta (6) v Caroline Garcia (21), Court 1 (4pm)

Takreem Awards winners 2021

Corporate Leadership: Carl Bistany (Lebanon)

Cultural Excellence: Hoor Al Qasimi (UAE)

Environmental Development and Sustainability: Bkerzay (Lebanon)

Environmental Development and Sustainability: Raya Ani (Iraq)

Humanitarian and Civic Services: Women’s Programs Association (Lebanon)

Humanitarian and Civic Services: Osamah Al Thini (Libya)

Excellence in Education: World Innovation Summit for Education (WISE) (Qatar)

Outstanding Arab Woman: Balghis Badri (Sudan)

Scientific and Technological Achievement: Mohamed Slim Alouini (KSA)

Young Entrepreneur: Omar Itani (Lebanon)

Lifetime Achievement: Suad Al Amiry (Palestine)

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Brief scores:

Huesca 0

Real Madrid 1

Bale 8'

UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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What is Reform?

Reform is a right-wing, populist party led by Nigel Farage, a former MEP who won a seat in the House of Commons last year at his eighth attempt and a prominent figure in the campaign for the UK to leave the European Union.

It was founded in 2018 and originally called the Brexit Party.

Many of its members previously belonged to UKIP or the mainstream Conservatives.

After Brexit took place, the party focused on the reformation of British democracy.

Former Tory deputy chairman Lee Anderson became its first MP after defecting in March 2024.

The party gained support from Elon Musk, and had hoped the tech billionaire would make a £100m donation. However, Mr Musk changed his mind and called for Mr Farage to step down as leader in a row involving the US tycoon's support for far-right figurehead Tommy Robinson who is in prison for contempt of court.