riyadh summit, a ‘chance’ for reviewing gcc progress: jubeir · ahmad hospital project, reports...

7LOCAL/GULFARAB TIMES, SATURDAY, DECEMBER 12, 2015

54 ambulances equipped with latest security, emergency systems received

MoH to conduct awareness lectures on ‘seasonal flu’ in 547 schoolsKUWAIT CITY, Dec 11:Undersecretary of Health MinistryDr Khalid Al-Sahlawi stated thatawareness lectures will be con-ducted for some 547 public andprivate schools to raise studentawareness on the prevention sea-sonal flu in coordination with theMinistry of Education, reports Al-Rai daily.

In a press statement, he indicatedthe initiative with other activities forstudents is in the frame of partner-ship between Ministry of Health andMinistry of Education to intensifyefforts to follow up and protect stu-dents in schools.

He added the team in charge man-aged to spread awareness amongstudents of 447 government and pri-

vate schools in participation of med-ical teams.

In another development, sourcessaid the country has taken deliveryof about 54 ambulances equippedwith the latest security, safety andemergency systems. They will behanded over to the Health Ministryin the next few days and launched byearly 2016.

He explained the ministry is keenon updating its ambulances to man-age emergency cases to perfectionacross the country, indicatingMedical Emergency Departmentdistributes ambulances based uponstudied plan to cover all areas, par-ticularly in spring camping seasonwhen emergency cases and acci-dents become rampant.

KUNA photosKuwait Riders Motorcycle Club visited the American Hospital as part of ‘discover your

country’ campaign.

Riyadh summit, a ‘chance’ forreviewing GCC progress: Jubeir

Council says supportive of UAE’s sovereignty on its 3 islands

RIYADH, Dec 11,(KUNA): Saudi ForeignMinister Adel Al-Jubeirsaid that the 36th GulfCooperation Council(GCC) Summit, which con-cluded in Riyadh earlierThursday, provided achance to review progressof the pan-GCC marchover the past 35 years.

In a joint press conference withGCC Secretary General AbdullatifAl-Zayani, Al-Jubeir said thatGCC leaders have called for inten-sifying efforts to boost the per-formance to meet people’s aspira-tions.

He added that this would beachieved through a scheduled plansand measures to be taken by mem-ber states.

The GCC leaders seek to promotereal cooperation in different politi-cal, military, economic and socialdomains, Al-Jubeir underlined.

The Saudi top diplomat clarifiedthat the GCC leaders have thor-oughly discussed the developmentsand challenges in the region particu-larly those related to the Palestinianterritories, Syria, Iraq and Yemen.

The fight against terrorism hasalso featured high in the summit, hesaid.

Replying to a question aboutRiyadh’s hosting of the Syrianopposition groups conference, Al-Jubeir stated that the gathering ismeant to unify the Syrian oppositionfactions and their stances ahead ofany political process to reach apeaceful solution to the ongoingconflict.

“There is no place for Bashar Al-Assad in Syria’s future,” he reiterat-ed.

“He (Al-Assad) either goes bynegotiations or by fighting.” Al-Jubeir stressed that the Syrian peo-ple is keen on building a new civilstate that respects the rights of allSyrians regardless of their religiousor ethnic affiliations.

For his part, GCC SecretaryGeneral Al-Zayani said that the cre-ation of a Gulf common market hasbeen a top priority for the GCCcountries and the GCC monetarycouncil is studying how to material-ize this goal.

In response to a question aboutthe oil prices sharp decline on theGCC economies; he expressed con-fidence that the member states arehandling the situation wiselythrough a series of economicreforms.

Meanwhile, the supreme councilof the Gulf Cooperation Council(GCC) has reiterated its firm stancesdenouncing Iran’s occupation of thethree UAE islands while supportingthe right of the UAE on its islands,regional waters, airspace, continen-tal shelf and the economic zone ofthe three islands.

The final communique of the 36thGCC summit said that any decisionsor activities carried out by Iran onthe three UAE islands are void andnull and does not change any of thehistorical or legal facts that affirmthe right of the UAE on the threeislands.

It called on Iran to respond to thecalls made by the UAE to resolvethis issue through direct negotia-tions or resort to the internationalcourt of justice.

The council also rejected Iran’sinterference into the internal affairsof the GCC states and the region,urging it for good neighborlinessand respect sovereignty of statesand not to use force or threatsagainst countries of the region.

The council also called on the needto adhere to the agreement signedbetween Iran with the (5+1) grouplast July 2015 concerning the Iraniannuclear file, stressing the significantrole of the IAEA in this respect.

It asserted the need for the imple-mentation of the UNSC resolution2231 of 2015 concerning thenuclear agreement concerning Iran’slaunch of a medium-range ballisticmissile last October 10 saying thatsuch constituted a savage infringe-ment of the UNSC resolution 1929.

The council also stressed theimportance of keeping the ArabianGulf region a zone free of massdestruction weapons includingnuclear weapons, stressing the rightof states for peaceful uses of nuclearenergy.

KUNA photoA group picture of teachers taking part in the 24th annual contest launched by the Scientific Club.

NBK’s participation in the forum.

NBK participates in ACK’s Annual Marketing forumNational Bank of Kuwait (NBK) par-ticipated in the Australian Collegeof Kuwait (ACK)’s 2nd AnnualMarketing forum launched underthe title of “New Trends inMarketing Communications,Challenges and Successes in theGulf”.

NBK’s participation in the forumis aligned with its strong belief insupporting the future of Kuwaitstrongly represented in the stu-dents, youth and educational ini-tiatives.

The forum showcases the evo-

lution of marketing over the yearsand aims at raising the students’awareness about the market. NBKclarified through its participation inthe forum the importance of mar-keting communications andbriefed the participants about suc-cessful marketing plans intro-duced for NBK’s clients.

NBK annually participates andorganizes initiatives helpingyouth learn more about profes-sional marketing communica-tions services in order to enrichtheir academic and theoretical

studies.NBK is committed to supporting

students and empowering themto realize their potentials, provid-ing career and training opportuni-ties.

The event was attended bymarketing professionals, deans ofcolleges, professors, studentsand many investors in differentindustries such as food and bev-erage, hospitality, car and auto-motive, banking, IT, beauty andcosmetics, banking and muchmore.

MoH takes delivery of part of Jaber Hospital project

‘677,000 passengers used airport in Nov’KUWAIT CITY, Dec 11: ActingAssistant Undersecretary forBorder Affairs at the Ministry ofInterior Major General FaisalAl-Senin has affirmed that theImmigration Unit, affiliated tothe General Department forAirport Security, recordedmovement of about 677,000arrival and departure passengersin November, reports Al-Seyassah daily.

Al-Senin revealed the GCCtravelers to and from the countrywithin the same month reached40,115. He said 222,409Kuwaitis traveled into and out ofthe country within the period,while the other travelers totaled415,259.

He added 19,828 visas wereissued to visitors at the airport,while the fingerprints of 66 peo-ple were taken for deportation.

BanHe went on to say 38 people

were arrested for presentingfake documents and 22 forusing the passports of others.He disclosed the travel banimposed on 992 people hasbeen lifted, while 181 peoplewere arrested for various viola-tions and 287 were referred tothe Immigration Unit at the air-port.

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Undersecretary at the Ministryof Public Works Engineer

Kuwait keen on incorporating peoplewith special needs in activities: officialKUWAIT CITY, Dec 11:Kuwait is keen on incorporatingpeople with special needs inactivities such as a marathon toenable them become confidentin their ability to handle sport-ing challenges, said an officialrecently.

At a marathon organized tocelebrate the UN InternationalDay of People with Disabilities,assistant secretary for socialcare at the ministry of labor andsocial affairs Dr Fatma Al-Mulla said such events confirmthe ministry’s persistent care forpeople with special needs.

Sporting events such as

today’s marathon give a strongmessage that people with specialneeds can pursue with enthusi-asm and great interest activitiesthat some might only associatewith people with no disabilities,said Dr Jassem Al-Kanderi,director of the medical care cen-ter in the ministry.

He added that this is the sec-ond year that this marathon isbeing observed by the ministry.

Attending the event wereMinister of Social Affairs andLabor Hend Al-Sabeeh and offi-cials from some governmentministries and agencies and anumber of public figures.

Awatef Al-Ghunaim announcedthat Ministry of Health has takendelivery of part of Jaber Al-Ahmad Hospital project, reportsAl-Anba daily.

Engineer Al-Ghunaim madethe disclosure at the opening ofexhibition on building materi-als recently. She said structuresdelivered include the outpatientclinics, dental clinic and otherbuildings.

She also said the ministrywill start equipping the build-ings pending delivery of otherbuildings.

She explained that tenders forthe Ministries Complex in Jahrawill be floated by the end of thecurrent month, and issues relatedto Kuwait International Airport’ssecond terminal project are stillunder review by the State AuditBureau.

She pointed out that com-plaints about flying stones on theroads have been noted on theSixth Ring Road, and the min-istry will award a contract soonto fix it completely after budgetis approved by the concernedauthority.

Saddam men

Continued from Page 1space for them in the political process,” hesaid. “They are banned under the constitution.”

Baathists began collaborating with al-Qaedain Iraq — the early incarnation of what wouldbecome Islamic State — soon after SaddamHussein was ousted in 2003. Saddam had run abrutal police state. The US occupation dis-solved the Baath Party and barred senior andeven middling party officials from joining thenew security services. Some left the country,others joined the anti-American insurgency.

But then the Baathists and jihadists dis-agreed over who should be in charge. Many ex-Baathists struck an alliance with the US mili-tary and turned on the jihadists.

By 2014, the Baathists and the jihadists wereback to being allies. As Islamic State fightersswept through central Iraq, they were joined bythe Army of the Men of the Naqshbandi Order,a group of Baathist fighters.

The Naqshbandi and smaller groups ofSaddam-era officers made up the majority offighters in the initial stages of last year’s mili-tary onslaught, according to Sunni tribal lead-ers, Baathists and an Iraqi security commander.It was the Naqshbandi who rallied locals inMosul to rise up against Baghdad, and whoplanned and commanded many of last year’smilitary advances, according to Iraqi officialsand Abdul al-Samad al-Ghrairy, a senior offi-cial in what’s left of the Baath Party.

Within days, though, Islamic State “took therevolution from us,” said Ghrairy. “We could-n’t sustain the battle.”

In Tikrit, Islamic State fighters opened a jailand released up to 200 followers. More IslamicState fighters poured into the city, many ofthem with heavy machine guns. These men“took all the army’s weapons and didn’t givethe Naqshabandi any. They kicked them aside,”a senior security official in Salahuddin said.

Soon after the fall of Tikrit in June 2014, lead-ers from the main factions of the Sunni rebellionmet in the house of a Baath Party member.According to the senior security official, Tikrittribal leaders and Baath officials, Islamic Statetold Baathists they had a choice: Join us or standdown. Some Baathists abandoned the revolt.Others stayed, swelling the ranks of IslamicState with mid-level security veterans.

That has boosted Islamic State’s firepowerand tactical prowess. “This is not the al-Qaedawe fought before,” said a prominent Sunnifrom Mosul who battled Islamic State’s fore-runners. “Their tactics are different. These aremen educated in military staff college. Theyare ex-army leaders. They are not simpleminds, but men with real experience.”

Both Ghrairy and Khudair Murshidy, theBaath Party’s official spokesman, told Reutersthat the party’s armed wing is frozen in theaftermath of its defeat. Islamic State, theyadded, had killed some 600 Baath supportersand Naqshbandi fighters. “Their policy is tokill everyone, destroy everyone,” Murshidysaid. “They create fear and death everywhere

and control areas. Many people have joinedthem now. At first they were a few hundred,now they are maybe more than 50,000.”

Emma Sky, a former adviser to the US mili-tary, believes Islamic State has effectively sub-sumed the Baathists. “The mustached officershave grown religious beards. I think many havegenuinely become religious,” she said.

Among the most high profile Baathists tojoin Islamic State are Ayman Sabawi, the sonof Saddam Hussein’s half brother, and RaadHassan, Saddam’s cousin, said the seniorSalahuddin security official and several triballeaders. Both were children during Saddam’stime, but the family connection is powerfullysymbolic.

More senior officers now in Islamic Stateinclude Walid Jasim (aka Abu Ahmed al-Alwani) who was a captain of intelligence inSaddam’s time, and Fadhil al-Hiyala (aka AbuMuslim al-Turkmani) whom some believe wasa deputy to Islamic State leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi until he was killed in an airstrike ear-lier this year.

The group’s multi-layered security and intel-ligence agencies in Mosul, the biggest city innorthern Iraq, are overseen by an agency calledAmniya — literally ‘Security’. The agency hassix branches, each responsible for maintaininga different aspect of security.

The overall head of Amniya in Iraq and Syriais a former Saddam-era intelligence officerfrom Fallujah called Ayad Hamid al-Jumaili,who joined the Sunni insurgency after the US-led invasion and now answers directly toBaghdadi, according to Hashimi, the analyst.

A vice squad known as Hisba enforces orderon the streets. Hisba officers punish everyonefrom cigarette traders to women not fully cov-ered. They also run a network of informants,placing children such as 14-year-oldMohannad in mosques and markets, andwomen at funerals and family gatherings,according to residents of Mosul.

“The work of these children is rewarded withgifts or small cash prizes,” said the former intel-ligence officer. “Women, on the other hand, arerecruited mostly from (Islamic State) familiesand they gather information for no reward.” Therepression has become so intense in Mosul, res-idents said, people have revived a phrase usedin Saddam’s era: “The walls have ears.”

Interviews with 35 men who recentlyescaped from Islamic State-held villagesaround Mosul offer rare details of what is hap-pening inside Islamic State territory. Reuterssat in on debriefings of the men by StaffLieutenant Colonel Surood Abdel Salal, aKurdish intelligence official at a base behindthe frontline south of Erbil. Most of those ques-tioned were former members of the Iraqi secu-rity forces defeated by Islamic State in Mosul.

The 35 men described a life of increasingdeprivation under Islamic State and a climateof paranoia in which they could trust no-one,even their own relatives.

One man in Mosul told Reuters his brotherhad been executed in early October after hecursed Islamic State and the Caliphate whilearguing with his son, who wanted to join thegroup.