Alice Wells arrives in Pakistan on four-day visit

In this file photo, Deputy Assistant US Secretary of State for South and Central Asian Affairs Alice Wells attends a press conference during the UN Conference on Afghanistan in Geneva on Nov. 27, 2018. (AFP)
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Updated 19 January 2020
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Alice Wells arrives in Pakistan on four-day visit

  • The top US diplomat visited Sri Lanka and India prior to her arrival
  • US-Iran tension, Afgan peace process, military training for Pakistan on the agenda, US embassy says

ISLAMABAD: Alice G. Wells, chief US diplomat for South Asian affairs, arrived in Islamabad Sunday on a four-day state visit, the US embassy in Islamabad said in a statement. 
Wells — the US Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asian Affairs — was received at the airport by foreign office and US embassy officials. 
She has been on a tour of South Asia since Jan. 13 and has been to Sri Lanka and India prior to her arrival in Pakistan.
The US diplomat will meet Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi after her arrival and is also expected to meet Prime Minister Imran Khan and army chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa during her visit, the statement said.
She will also interact with members of the civil society during her visit, it added.
Her visit will be centered on discussions regarding the peace process in Afghanistan, Pakistan-US bilateral relations and regional concerns.
Wells will also discuss the US-Iran tension and Taliban-US peace talks during her meetings with the Pakistani officials while the issue of newly authorized US military assistance and training for Pakistan will also likely come under discussion, according to the statement.
Wells’ visit to Islamabad comes immediately after Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi concluded his trip to the US where he interacted with senior United Nations and American officials in New York and Washington, and urged the US to help get Pakistan off the grey-list of global money laundering watchdog, the Financial Action Task Force.
Wells’ last visit to Pakistan was in August last year.


How protracted conflicts from Gaza to DRC are leaving deep scars on children’s lives

Updated 14 July 2025
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How protracted conflicts from Gaza to DRC are leaving deep scars on children’s lives

  • The UN verified 41,370 grave violations against children in 2024 — a 25 percent rise and the highest number ever recorded
  • Gaza alone saw 4,856 verified violations — more than any other region — with thousands of children killed or injured

LONDON: For children trapped in the world’s conflict zones, 2024 was a year of unprecedented suffering. The UN verified 41,370 grave violations against children — a record-shattering 25 percent increase over the previous year — devastating countless young lives.

From Gaza to the Democratic Republic of the Congo, children are among the most vulnerable victims of war. The consequences go far beyond immediate physical danger, shaping the course of their lives for years to come.

According to the UN Security Council’s June 17 report on children and armed conflict, at least 22,495 were maimed, killed, recruited, or denied life-saving aid — robbed of the safety and innocence that should define childhood.

“The cries of 22,495 innocent children who should be learning to read or play ball, but instead have been forced to learn how to survive gunfire and bombings, should keep all of us awake at night,” Virginia Gamba, special representative of the UN secretary-general for children and armed conflict, said in the report.

“This must serve as a wake-up call. We are at the point of no return.”

According to the UN, at least 22,495 children were maimed, killed, recruited, or denied life-saving aid — robbed of the safety and innocence that should define childhood. (AFP)

The report, the most damning since the UN began collecting data in 1996, also noted a surge in children suffering multiple violations. In 2024, some 3,137 children were subjected to overlapping abuses such as abduction, forced recruitment, and sexual violence — up from 2,684 the year before.

Months before the report’s release, the UN children’s fund, UNICEF, warned of a crisis beyond precedent. In December, the agency declared 2024 the worst year in its history for children caught in war.

“By almost every measure, 2024 has been one of the worst years on record for children in conflict in UNICEF’s history — both in terms of the number of children affected and the level of impact on their lives,” Catherine Russell, the agency’s executive director, said in a statement.

These children are more likely to be malnourished, displaced, or out of school than those in peaceful regions — a reality she insisted “must not be the new normal.”

“We cannot allow a generation of children to become collateral damage to the world’s unchecked wars,” Russell added.

Palestinian men carry the bodies of children killed earlier in the day in an Israeli strike in Gaza City on July 2, 2025. (AFP)

Beyond the physical toll of conflict, psychological wounds are also profound and enduring, often outlasting conflicts themselves.

“What the recent UN report shows is that children caught in conflict zones are facing unimaginable levels of harm,” Dr. Jeeda Alhakim, a specialist counseling psychologist at City St George’s, University of London, told Arab News.

“This kind of violence doesn’t end when the event is over. It stays with them.”

Alhakim explained that prolonged exposure to danger alters a child’s perception of safety and can even reshape their biology. “When the body is constantly in survival mode, it becomes harder to sleep, concentrate, or feel calm,” she said.

Over time, this toxic stress can disrupt brain development, especially in neural regions responsible for memory, decision making, and emotional regulation. “Trauma doesn’t just live in the mind,” Alhakim said. “It becomes embedded in the nervous system.”

INNUMBERS

  • 41,370 Violations against children.
  • 11,967 Children maimed or killed.

(Source: UN, 2024)

There are “disruptions in the brain’s stress regulation systems,” she added, “especially in areas like the amygdala, hippocampus, and prefrontal cortex, which are central to managing emotions, remembering things, and making sense of what’s happening around them.”

She emphasized that trauma is not always visible. “Some children appear fine on the outside but are struggling internally. Others show signs of distress more openly. It depends on their experiences, the support they have, and what they’ve lost.

“When children struggle with focus, learning, or emotional outbursts, it’s not simply behavioral — it’s a sign that their brains are adapting to survive.”

Regardless of how it manifests, the consequences are deeply human. “Many children carry a profound sense of loss — of a parent, a home, or a future they once believed in,” she added.

Beyond the physical toll of conflict, psychological wounds are also profound and enduring, often outlasting conflicts themselves. (AFP)

Among the hardest-hit regions, the Palestinian territories ranked highest in the UN’s report, with 8,554 verified violations. More than 4,856 occurred in the Gaza Strip alone.

The UN confirmed the deaths of 1,259 Palestinian children in Gaza, while it continues to verify reports of another 4,470 killed in 2024. The report also documented 22 cases of Palestinian boys used as human shields in Gaza and five more in the West Bank.

Since Israel’s military operation in Gaza began in retaliation for the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas-led attack on southern Israel, children in the Palestinian enclave have faced bombardment, deprivation, and the collapse of essential services.

Conditions further deteriorated in March when Israeli forces resumed bombing raids and tightened their blockade, triggering catastrophic levels of displacement and the near-total breakdown of healthcare and education.

“Under our watch, Gaza has become the graveyard of children (and) starving people,” Philippe Lazzarini, commissioner-general of the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East, posted on X on July 11.

“Their choice is between two deaths: starvation or being shot at. The most cruel (and) machiavellian scheme to kill, in total impunity.”

Since Israel’s military operation in Gaza began in retaliation for the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas-led attack on southern Israel, children in the Palestinian enclave have faced bombardment, deprivation, and the collapse of essential services. (AFP)

His remarks followed the killing of 15 people, including nine children and four women, who were waiting in line for nutritional supplements in Deir Al-Balah on July 10. The Israel Defense Forces have consistently denied targeting civilians.

The UN has nevertheless kept Israel on its blacklist of parties committing grave violations against children for a second consecutive year. Gaza’s ruling Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad also remain on the list.

Outside the Palestinian territories, other regions also witnessed surging violence. In 2024, the UN recorded more than 4,000 violations in the DRC, some 2,500 in Somalia, nearly 2,500 in Nigeria, and more than 2,200 in Haiti.

Among the most alarming trends was a sharp rise in sexual violence. The UN documented a 35 percent increase in such cases last year, with a notable spike in gang rapes, underscoring the systematic use of sexual violence as a weapon of war.

“Sexual violence is especially devastating,” Alhakim said. “It harms children physically, but also emotionally and socially. It can leave them feeling ashamed, isolated, and deeply confused, especially when used deliberately as a weapon of war.”

In 2024, the UN recorded more than 4,000 violations in the DRC, some 2,500 in Somalia, nearly 2,500 in Nigeria, and more than 2,200 in Haiti. (AFP)

While the UN verified more than 2,000 cases in 2024, the real number is likely far higher. The report stressed that sexual violence remains vastly underreported due to stigma, fear of retaliation, social norms, lack of access to services, and impunity.

“Children are often too afraid or unable to speak out,” said Alhakim. “In some communities, the stigma surrounding sexual violence adds an extra layer of suffering and silence.”

Save the Children revealed in a June report that at least 1,938 children were subjected to catastrophic sexual violence in 2024 — the highest number of verified cases since records began. The figure marks a staggering 50 percent increase since 2020.

“To normalize this level of violence against children is to accept the dismantling of our collective humanity,” Helen Pattinson, CEO of War Child UK, said in a statement. “The level of alarm is unprecedented. Governments must act immediately to turn the tide of grief, trauma and loss borne by children.”

For millions of children growing up under siege, survival alone is no longer enough. What they need is safety, justice, and a chance to dream again.

“No child should have to carry the weight of mass violence,” said Alhakim. “And yet far too many are.”

 


Israeli forces fatally shoot 20-year-old Palestinian man near Jenin

Updated 14 July 2025
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Israeli forces fatally shoot 20-year-old Palestinian man near Jenin

  • Youssef Walid Sheikh Ibrahim killed close to military checkpoint
  • 42 Palestinians have been killed since Israel launched offensive in town

LONDON: A Palestinian man was shot dead by Israeli forces on Monday evening near the town of Ya’abd in Jenin governorate, north of the occupied West Bank.

The Ministry of Health reported that Youssef Walid Sheikh Ibrahim, 20, from the town of Kafr Ra’i, died after being shot by Israeli forces near a military checkpoint close to the illegal settlement of Mevo Dotan, and his body was detained.

A total of 42 Palestinians have been killed since Israeli forces launched a military campaign in Jenin town and its refugee camp in January, according to the WAFA news agency.

Since October 2023, Israeli forces and settlers in the West Bank have killed nearly 1,000 Palestinians, most of them civilians.

On Sunday, hundreds of Palestinians from Al-Mazraa Al-Sharqiya attended the funeral of Saif Al-Din Kamil Abdul Karim Musalat, 20, and Mohammed Rizq Hussein Al-Shalabi, 23, who were killed by Israeli settlers last week.

About 1 million Israelis live in illegal settlements in the West Bank and East Jerusalem in violation of international law. Their attacks against Palestinians have escalated since 2023, with 820 recorded by rights groups in the first half of this year.


Iraq plans to build 10 dams to harvest desert rains, as drought displaces 10,000 families in Dhi Qar

Updated 14 July 2025
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Iraq plans to build 10 dams to harvest desert rains, as drought displaces 10,000 families in Dhi Qar

  • As water levels in the Tigris and Euphrates rivers dwindle, the aim is to store rainwater and floodwater to help boost strategic reserves
  • Dhi Qar Governorate is experiencing one of its worst summers, with severe water shortages and drought forcing people in rural areas to migrate

LONDON: Iraq has announced plans to build 10 dams to harvest water in desert areas, as part of an urgent strategy to boost water security amid dwindling supplies.

The effects of climate change and the construction of dams in neighboring countries, including Turkiye, have significantly affected water levels of the Tigris and Euphrates rivers, which are vital lifelines for Iraqis.

The Iraqi minister of water resources, Awn Dhiab Abdullah, said on Monday that the dams would store floodwater and rainwater in the desert to build up strategic reserves, especially in provinces lacking in surface-water resources.

“The shortage the country is experiencing is the most dangerous in its history, forcing 12 provinces to rely exclusively on groundwater to cover their various needs,” he said.

Dhi Qar, which is in southern Iraq, has experienced one of its worst summers on record, with severe water shortages and drought forcing nearly 10,000 families in rural areas to abandon their homes and migrate to urban areas.

Abdullah said that more than half of Iraq’s desert region relies on groundwater supplies. He emphasized the importance of water-harvesting projects and the need to reduce dependence on traditional sources.


Iraqis face difficult return from Syria camp for Daesh families

Updated 14 July 2025
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Iraqis face difficult return from Syria camp for Daesh families

MOSUL: After years in a Syrian detention camp, Ibrahim Darwish was relieved to be allowed to return home to Iraq, but his joy was quickly punctured by the harsh reality that he had to disown his sons accused of being militants.

“All I wanted was to return to Iraq,” the 64-year-old said of his time in the Kurdish-controlled Al-Hol camp, where family members of suspected Daesh fighters are held in prison-like conditions alongside refugees and displaced people.

But back home in Iraq, “I had to disown my sons. My house is gone,” he said. “I am back to square one.”

Thousands of Iraqi returnees from the camp have faced major obstacles reintegrating into their communities, their perceived affiliation with Daesh casting a dark shadow over their prospects.

They described armed groups and local authorities in some areas pressuring returnees to cut ties with relatives suspected of Daesh links as a precondition for going home or obtaining essential documents.

A lawyer for many returnees equated the pledges of disownment to denunciations, “essentially complaints by one family member against another.”

He also warned of a widespread misconception among returnees that they must comply in order to obtain identity cards and other government papers.

But a senior Iraqi official insisted that the authorities supported reintegration, including when it came to the issuance of documents.

Requesting “disownment statements has become illegal, and anyone who asks for it should be reported,” the official said.

Darwish said he was allowed to leave Al-Hol after receiving Iraqi security clearance and support from his tribal leader.

Back in Iraq, he spent the first several months at Al-Jadaa camp, presented by the authorities as a “rehabilitation” center where returnees wait for further permission to return home.

There, “we felt the most welcome,” Darwish said.

But when it was time to go home to Salaheddin province, Darwish said local authorities told him he first had to disown his sons, who are locked away on suspicion of joining Daesh — a charge he denies.

Reluctantly, he complied.

Otherwise, “how was I going to farm my land and make ends meet?” he said.

In the northern city of Mosul, one woman in her thirties said she was afraid to return to her hometown in Salaheddin, where her father was arrested upon his arrival and later passed away in prison.

She is currently squatting with her sister and children in a dilapidated house, living in fear of eviction.

When the family first returned to Iraq, she said, people “looked at us differently, just because we came from Al-Hol.”

Now her concern is obtaining new identity cards, which are essential for accessing healthcare, education and employment, and she fears she will have to disown her husband to do so.

The authorities, she said, “did well” by bringing them back from Al-Hol, where many speak of increased violence, but they must now solve the issue of reintegration.

“We need them to support us so we can stand on our feet,” she added.

Thanassis Cambanis, director of New York-based Century International, said the returnees “face a murky future,” especially since some of those tarred as Daesh families are denied documentation.

“At a minimum, collective punishment of the Daesh families is an injustice and a moral error,” Cambanis warned.

“At a maximum, Iraq’s policy creates a ripe pool of potential recruits for violent sectarian extremists.”

While many countries refuse to repatriate their nationals from Al-Hol, Baghdad has so far brought back around 17,000 people, mostly women and children.

Local and international organizations facilitated reintegration. The Global Community Engagement and Resilience Fund, a Geneva-registered organization that focuses on preventing extremism, supports several centers that have so far assisted around 6,000 returnees.

According to the fund’s Kevin Osborne, the centers provide services such as psychosocial support and vocational training.

But the growing number of returnees requires “expanded support to adequately prepare communities and enable smooth, sustainable reintegration,” Osborne said.

Noran Mahmood, of the GCREF-supported Iraqi Institution for Development, said many returnees fear “society’s refusal” to welcome them, as if having spent time in Al-Hol is a “disgrace.”

Her organization in Mosul provides counselling for the many returnees who suffer from depression, insomnia and anxiety.

Rahaf, 24, is one of the many women receiving help after years of accumulated trauma.

With the organization’s assistance, she achieved her long-held dream of furthering her education, enrolling in middle school.

“I feel successful,” she said. “I want to become a lawyer or a teacher.”


Aster Sanad Hospital supports Saudi talent

Updated 14 July 2025
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Aster Sanad Hospital supports Saudi talent

Aster Sanad Hospital, a healthcare institution under the Aster DM Healthcare Group, participated as an official sponsor in the Career Expo Day hosted by Prince Sultan bin Abdulaziz College for Emergency Medical Services in Riyadh. The move reflects the hospital’s commitment to supporting Saudization efforts, attracting local talent, and investing in the future of the Kingdom’s healthcare sector, in line with Saudi Vision 2030 goals.

The event brought together a promising generation of graduates in the field of emergency medical services, and served as a dynamic platform for interaction, knowledge exchange, and exploring professional opportunities.

During the event, the Aster Sanad team actively engaged with Saudi graduates and received a significant number of resumes from ambitious young professionals aspiring to begin their careers in the healthcare sector. The hospital team also provided an overview of its workplace culture, professional development programs, training opportunities, and future career pathways.

“We were truly inspired by the level of knowledge, motivation, and professionalism we witnessed among the students,” said Falah Al-Sharari, head of human resources at Aster DM Hospitals and Clinics — Saudi Arabia. “These future healthcare professionals reflect the great potential of Saudi talent, and we look forward to welcoming some of them into our team as we continue to grow and strengthen our presence in the Kingdom.”

Al-Sharari also expressed his appreciation for Prince Sultan college for organizing the event, underscoring the importance of strengthening collaboration between academic institutions and healthcare providers across the Kingdom.

Such partnerships play a key role in preparing qualified professionals capable of meeting the evolving needs of the sector, he said.