Ain Issa, Syria // At a dusty checkpoint on the front line facing ISIL in northern Syria, a steady trickle of cars, vans and trucks passes by on their way from Raqqa, the extremist group’s main stronghold.
The checkpoint near the town of Ain Issa is no more than an abandoned building beside a dirt track, shielded by a waist-high berm piled up along the entire front and held by a group of poorly armed and disorganised Arab fighters in loose alliance with the Kurds who control north-eastern Syria.
As a truck laden with household items emerges from the hazy no man’s land, one of the fighters climbs onto the berm and fires a warning shot into the sandy ground ahead. Another jumps onto a motorbike and careers towards the truck to check the driver’s paperwork before he is allowed to pass.
A little later, a van pulls up, laden with civilians. Inside, 65 year-old Obeid Al Assi, an Arab from a village near Kurdish-controlled Tel Abyad, is returning from a doctor’s appointment in Raqqa, where he has paid 3,000 Syrian pounds (Dh60) to have his heart checked.
“There are not enough hospitals in Tel Abyad,” he says with a shrug, referring to the Syrian town on the Turkish border that was taken by Kurdish forces in July.
Hamad Dijaz, the father of a four-month-old girl, agrees. He took his daughter to Raqqa when she fell ill, he says, boarding one of the shuttle busses that ferries people to and from the city serving as ISIL’s headquarters. His wife has accompanied him, and sits quietly in the van wearing a long black abaya, though she has removed her veil, part of the required dress code for women in ISIL territory.
“In the Kobani and Tel Abyad countryside, most of the people go to the doctor in Raqqa,” said Abu Hamed Ansari, the leader of the motley group manning the checkpoint. A permission from his brigade commander is required to make the journey for civilians to travel to Raqqa, while the front can also be crossed at another checkpoint further down the line, he says.
The van rumbles on, soon to be followed by more vehicles, driving alone or in small convoys. The fighters lose interest in their guard duty, and most vehicles pass through without even a perfunctory security check. Occasionally, Mr Ansari waves at a driver he recognises.
When the Kurds took Tel Abyad, they deprived ISIL of a vital supply line to Turkey. But in turn, the autonomous region suffers from an economic blockade imposed by Turkey.
Ankara is against self-rule in Rojava, as the predominantly Kurdish territory in Syria’s north-east is known, fearing it would galvanise its own Kurdish minority towards secession. It is also mistrustful of the Democratic Union Party (PYD) that rules Rojava and has close ties with the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK), who resumed their decades-old insurgency against the Turkish state after a ceasefire fell apart earlier this year.
The flow of people and goods across the desert front is known to the administration in Rojava, which tries to keep tabs on who is coming in and out.
“We have some checkpoints for people who travel to Raqqa and we record the names of the people going and coming back,” says Bozan Khali, interior minister of the Kobani canton, one of the three administrative districts that make up Rojava.
Mr Khali acknowledges that these efforts are insufficient. “There are many ways to go to Raqqa, too many ways to try and control.”
Encumbered by the blockade and the widespread destruction caused by the fierce conflict with ISIL, Rojava’s economy is struggling, and the infrastructure is on its knees. Four years of civil war has prompted many to leave the region, a drain on qualified staff.
In contrast, ISIL-held Raqqa is relatively prosperous. The terror group has been able to generate income from a range of activities, including oil smuggling and the illegal sale of antiquities, while the territory under its control has not been ravaged by fighting, although the city is the targetof occasional airstrikes.
As a result, its economy generates a surplus of goods and services that are finding takers among Rojava’s inhabitants.
Foodstuffs like meat, vegetables rice find their way across the front, says Mr Ansari, as he produces cans of energy drinks he has pilfered from a passing truck.
“Everything in Tel Abyad comes from Raqqa but the bread,” says the militiaman, who has been stationed at the checkpoint since the Kurdish advance came to a halt at Ain Issa in July, a mere 50 kilometres from the ISIL capital.
Government officials say that by allowing civilians to travel to and from Raqqa, they set themselves apart from ISIL, which maintains a brutal grip on the people living in its territory, and who hemmed in Kobani’s population during its bloody siege of the city last year.
“We don’t ask them for why they are travelling to Raqqa. Some people have relatives there, some people go there for work, some people go for medical reasons. Some have cattle and sheep there. We don’t want to behave like [ISIL] when we were besieged here,” says Kobani’s defence minister Ismet Sheikh Hassan.
Some of the people heading into the ISIL territory are seasonal workers who went to Turkey for the harvest, he adds.
Kurdish commanders at Ain Issa say that many people crossing the front line into Kurdish territory are refugees seeking safety ahead of the impending offensive to liberate Raqqa or the fighting elsewhere.
“We have no choice but to host these civilians, Raqqa isn’t safe for them anymore. A lot of people are coming in from Raqqa and other Syrian cities,” says Rojda, a commander of a Women’s Defense Unit (YPJ), the female armed wing of the PYD.
Rojava’s porous borders aggravates an already precarious security situation. In June, ISIL launched a second attack on Kobani, this time infiltrating the city with detachments disguised as Kurdish troops.
The attack claimed at least 220 civilian lives, and led to an even denser security network in the canton, where checkpoints have sprung up at virtually every village and where local self defence groups diligently check every car for permissions, arms and explosives. Such scrutiny is not applied to the traffic passing through the front lines at Raqqa, however.
foreign.desk@thenational.ae
MATCH INFO
Qalandars 109-3 (10ovs)
Salt 30, Malan 24, Trego 23, Jayasuriya 2-14
Bangla Tigers (9.4ovs)
Fletcher 52, Rossouw 31
Bangla Tigers win by six wickets
MATCH INFO
Championship play-offs, second legs:
Aston Villa 0
Middlesbrough 0
(Aston Villa advance 1-0 on aggregate)
Fulham 2
Sessegnon (47'), Odoi (66')
Derby County 0
(Fulham advance 2-1 on aggregate)
Final
Saturday, May 26, Wembley. Kick off 8pm (UAE)
The specs
Engine: 3.8-litre twin-turbo flat-six
Power: 650hp at 6,750rpm
Torque: 800Nm from 2,500-4,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed dual-clutch auto
Fuel consumption: 11.12L/100km
Price: From Dh796,600
On sale: now
Specs
Engine: Dual-motor all-wheel-drive electric
Range: Up to 610km
Power: 905hp
Torque: 985Nm
Price: From Dh439,000
Available: Now
Dubai World Cup Carnival card
6.30pm: Al Maktoum Challenge Round-2 Group 1 (PA) US$75,000 (Dirt) 1,900m
7.05pm: Al Rashidiya Group 2 (TB) $250,000 (Turf) 1,800m
7.40pm: Meydan Cup Listed Handicap (TB) $175,000 (T) 2,810m
8.15pm: Handicap (TB) $175,000 (D) 1,600m
8.50pm: Handicap (TB) $135,000 (T) 1,600m
9.25pm: Al Shindagha Sprint Group 3 (TB) $200,000 (D) 1,200m
10pm: Handicap (TB) $135,000 (T) 2,000m
The National selections:
6.30pm - Ziyadd; 7.05pm - Barney Roy; 7.40pm - Dee Ex Bee; 8.15pm - Dubai Legacy; 8.50pm - Good Fortune; 9.25pm - Drafted; 10pm - Simsir
MATCH INFO
Manchester City 4 (Gundogan 8' (P), Bernardo Silva 19', Jesus 72', 75')
Fulham 0
Red cards: Tim Ream (Fulham)
Man of the Match: Gabriel Jesus (Manchester City)
The White Lotus: Season three
Creator: Mike White
Starring: Walton Goggins, Jason Isaacs, Natasha Rothwell
Rating: 4.5/5
MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League semi-finals, second leg:
Liverpool (0) v Barcelona (3), Tuesday, 11pm UAE
Game is on BeIN Sports
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.
COMPANY%20PROFILE
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EName%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ESmartCrowd%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarted%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E2018%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFounder%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ESiddiq%20Farid%20and%20Musfique%20Ahmed%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EDubai%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ESector%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EFinTech%20%2F%20PropTech%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInitial%20investment%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E%24650%2C000%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ECurrent%20number%20of%20staff%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%2035%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestment%20stage%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ESeries%20A%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestors%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EVarious%20institutional%20investors%20and%20notable%20angel%20investors%20(500%20MENA%2C%20Shurooq%2C%20Mada%2C%20Seedstar%2C%20Tricap)%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
The Cairo Statement
1: Commit to countering all types of terrorism and extremism in all their manifestations
2: Denounce violence and the rhetoric of hatred
3: Adhere to the full compliance with the Riyadh accord of 2014 and the subsequent meeting and executive procedures approved in 2014 by the GCC
4: Comply with all recommendations of the Summit between the US and Muslim countries held in May 2017 in Saudi Arabia.
5: Refrain from interfering in the internal affairs of countries and of supporting rogue entities.
6: Carry out the responsibility of all the countries with the international community to counter all manifestations of extremism and terrorism that threaten international peace and security
The%20specs
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EPowertrain%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ESingle%20electric%20motor%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPower%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E201hp%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETorque%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E310Nm%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETransmission%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ESingle-speed%20auto%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBattery%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E53kWh%20lithium-ion%20battery%20pack%20(GS%20base%20model)%3B%2070kWh%20battery%20pack%20(GF)%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETouring%20range%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E350km%20(GS)%3B%20480km%20(GF)%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPrice%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EFrom%20Dh129%2C900%20(GS)%3B%20Dh149%2C000%20(GF)%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EOn%20sale%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Now%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
What is Folia?
Prince Khaled bin Alwaleed bin Talal's new plant-based menu will launch at Four Seasons hotels in Dubai this November. A desire to cater to people looking for clean, healthy meals beyond green salad is what inspired Prince Khaled and American celebrity chef Matthew Kenney to create Folia. The word means "from the leaves" in Latin, and the exclusive menu offers fine plant-based cuisine across Four Seasons properties in Los Angeles, Bahrain and, soon, Dubai.
Kenney specialises in vegan cuisine and is the founder of Plant Food Wine and 20 other restaurants worldwide. "I’ve always appreciated Matthew’s work," says the Saudi royal. "He has a singular culinary talent and his approach to plant-based dining is prescient and unrivalled. I was a fan of his long before we established our professional relationship."
Folia first launched at The Four Seasons Hotel Los Angeles at Beverly Hills in July 2018. It is available at the poolside Cabana Restaurant and for in-room dining across the property, as well as in its private event space. The food is vibrant and colourful, full of fresh dishes such as the hearts of palm ceviche with California fruit, vegetables and edible flowers; green hearb tacos filled with roasted squash and king oyster barbacoa; and a savoury coconut cream pie with macadamia crust.
In March 2019, the Folia menu reached Gulf shores, as it was introduced at the Four Seasons Hotel Bahrain Bay, where it is served at the Bay View Lounge. Next, on Tuesday, November 1 – also known as World Vegan Day – it will come to the UAE, to the Four Seasons Resort Dubai at Jumeirah Beach and the Four Seasons DIFC, both properties Prince Khaled has spent "considerable time at and love".
There are also plans to take Folia to several more locations throughout the Middle East and Europe.
While health-conscious diners will be attracted to the concept, Prince Khaled is careful to stress Folia is "not meant for a specific subset of customers. It is meant for everyone who wants a culinary experience without the negative impact that eating out so often comes with."
The smuggler
Eldarir had arrived at JFK in January 2020 with three suitcases, containing goods he valued at $300, when he was directed to a search area.
Officers found 41 gold artefacts among the bags, including amulets from a funerary set which prepared the deceased for the afterlife.
Also found was a cartouche of a Ptolemaic king on a relief that was originally part of a royal building or temple.
The largest single group of items found in Eldarir’s cases were 400 shabtis, or figurines.
Khouli conviction
Khouli smuggled items into the US by making false declarations to customs about the country of origin and value of the items.
According to Immigration and Customs Enforcement, he provided “false provenances which stated that [two] Egyptian antiquities were part of a collection assembled by Khouli's father in Israel in the 1960s” when in fact “Khouli acquired the Egyptian antiquities from other dealers”.
He was sentenced to one year of probation, six months of home confinement and 200 hours of community service in 2012 after admitting buying and smuggling Egyptian antiquities, including coffins, funerary boats and limestone figures.
For sale
A number of other items said to come from the collection of Ezeldeen Taha Eldarir are currently or recently for sale.
Their provenance is described in near identical terms as the British Museum shabti: bought from Salahaddin Sirmali, "authenticated and appraised" by Hossen Rashed, then imported to the US in 1948.
- An Egyptian Mummy mask dating from 700BC-30BC, is on offer for £11,807 ($15,275) online by a seller in Mexico
- A coffin lid dating back to 664BC-332BC was offered for sale by a Colorado-based art dealer, with a starting price of $65,000
- A shabti that was on sale through a Chicago-based coin dealer, dating from 1567BC-1085BC, is up for $1,950
A MINECRAFT MOVIE
Director: Jared Hess
Starring: Jack Black, Jennifer Coolidge, Jason Momoa
Rating: 3/5
