THURSDAY, JUNE 9, 2016 ANALYSIS

THE LEADING INDEPENDENT DAILY IN THE ARABIAN GULF ESTABLISHED 1961

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Issues Battlefronts against IS in northern Syria

he Islamic State jihadist group is battling on several fronts in a swathe of territory in Tnorthern Syria. Much of the fighting is cen- tered around a main supply line snaking down from the Syrian-Turkish border to IS’s de facto capi- tal Raqa city. The jihadists are facing twin offen- sives-from a Kurdish-Arab alliance known as the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) and from pro- regime troops-on either side of the town of Tabqa, a key transit town near Raqa. To the northwest, IS is also nearly surrounded by an SDF offensive on the town of Manbij, another major hub along the route. While any push on Raqa itself seems long term, the jihadists have stalled in an advance on Hillary Clinton’s mighty challenge: to unify her camp two rebel bastions further west. By Jerome Cartillier York, Clinton did not directly urge her rival can to help elect Barack Obama, the next political analyst from the University of Tabqa to stand down. But she held out an olive president of the United States.” Virginia. “A sizable minority of the Sanders Under IS control since 2014, Tabqa lies in Raqa n June 7, 2008, Hillary Clinton made branch to him-and his supporters. “Let troops have grown to despise her. Sanders province near Syria’s largest dam on the Euphrates way for Barack Obama to conquer there be no mistake, Senator Sanders, his ‘Fear of Trump’ will have to back Clinton repeatedly and river, a military airport and oil fields. Tabqa was Othe White House, conceding defeat campaign, and the vigorous debate that This time, Clinton will have to earn the with enthusiasm.” Democrats like to point home to around 80,000 residents before Syria’s war after a fractious primary race, and throwing we’ve had about how to raise income, support on November 8 of the young, pas- out that the bad blood between the her full weight behind him. Eight years lat- reduce inequality, increase upward mobili- sionate voters fired up by Sanders’ grass- Obama and Clinton campaign teams was broke out in 2011. The US-backed SDF announced er, it is she who faces the arduous task of ty, have been very good for the Democratic roots campaign. Her biggest hurdle: the considerably worse than between this their offensive on the town on May 24, advancing unifying her camp after a-sometimes bit- Party and for America,” she said. “As we look sizeable share of Bernie’s fans who view the year’s rival camps-and that it did not stop from positions near the Turkish border to within 60 ter-battle with Bernie Sanders. On paper, it ahead, let’s remember all that unites us.” In former first lady, senator and secretary of them from winning. kilometers (40 miles) northeast of Tabqa. But pro- seems an easier task than the one facing 2008, Clinton had thrown her weight state as calculating and insincere-echoing They are also counting on Obama him- regime fighters backed by Russian air strikes have her Republican rival Donald Trump whose unequivocally behind her erstwhile rival, the favorite line of attack of her Republican self to enter the race in the role of unifier- pushed in much closer from the southwest-to insurgent candidacy and incendiary com- calling for her supporters “to take our ener- rival Trump. “Clinton doesn’t have the abili- in-chief. “I think you can expect the presi- around 25 kilometers from the town’s airport. The ments-dubbed “racist” by leading GOP fig- gy, our passion, our strength, and do all we ty to do it alone,” argued Larry Sabato, a dent to play that kind of role,” White House government advance is the first time President ures-are tearing his party apart. spokesman Josh Earnest said recently. Bashar Al-Assad’s fighters have entered Raqa But Clinton’s challenge remains very Obama’s message has already been fine- province in two years. Longtime regime ally Russia real, with one big question still unan- tuned: the two Democratic candidates, swered: how will “Bernie” behave towards while very different in style-are not so dif- supported the construction of the Tabqa dam the nominee he fought tooth-and-nail to ferent when it comes to substance. “They’re under Assad’s father Hafez. Analysts say the SDF stop? The Vermont senator told supporters both good people. I know them both well,” have ceased to advance on Tabqa as they focus on late Tuesday that he would “continue the Obama said during a trip to Japan last retaking Manbij. fight” for the Democratic nomination and week-as if laying the groundwork for the stay in the race until the party’s convention necessary reconciliation ahead. “I think that Manbij in Philadelphia next month to drive home it’s important for us to try to end this in a Late last month, the SDF announced a new front his message about reforming Wall Street, way that leaves both sides feeling proud of towards Manbij, another vital hub on the supply the minimum wage and the role of money what they’ve done.” route. The town-also held by IS since 2014 — lies in in politics. For Sabato, “President Obama must rea- Aleppo province on the same supply route along Sanders acknowledged “a very, very son with his party’s left wing, using fear of steep fight. But we will continue to fight for Trump as the emotional appeal.” According the Euphrates from the IS-held border town of every vote and every delegate we can.” “We to the latest Gallup poll, Obama’s populari- Jarabulus to Raqa city. Manbij had a pre-war popu- understand that our mission is more than ty with that segment of the electorate is lation of about 120,000 — mostly Arabs, but about just defeating Donald Trump, it is trans- sky-high-at 92 percent. Eight years apart, a quarter Syrian Kurds. Since May 30, the alliance forming our country,” the silver-haired 74- Obama and Clinton have one asset in com- has swept west towards Manbij, seizing at least 40 year-old said. After decades of relative iso- mon: both offer voters the chance to write villages with air support from the US-led coalition. lation in Congress, this campaign has hand- a new page in American political history, as Sherfan Darwish, who heads the SDF’s Manbij ed him, and his calls for a political revolu- the first African American in the White offensive, told AFP the town is surrounded from tion, a belated-but spectacular-dose of House, and the first woman US president. three sides and “operations are progressing well”. recognition. “Today’s primaries are no Whatever the weaknesses of a candidate At their closest, the SDF stand just two kilometers longer about the nomination. They are whose stiff campaign style has struggled to about leverage in the peace talks that are ignite crowds, Democratic voters could yet (just over a mile) to the south of the town, the sure to follow,” the one-time Obama strate- BROOKLYN: Democratic presidential candidate former Secretary of State Hillary mobilize massively to prove that their party Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitoring gist David Axelrod tweeted on Tuesday. Clinton and her husband former US president Bill Clinton greet supporters dur- is, once again, the one that pushes the group said. Thousands of civilians have fled Manbij Delivering her victory speech in New ing a primary night event on June 7, 2016 in Brooklyn, New York. —AFP boundaries in American society. —AFP from the west as SDF fighters close in from all oth- er sides. Africa’s richest woman edges towards power in Angola Raqa Recapturing Raqa city would be one of the By Susan Njanji Marques, adding she never paid for the shares. Born in Baku, She has also spread her banking empire into neighboring biggest symbolic victories for anti-jihadist forces. Azerbaijan in 1973 where her father was studying, she grew Namibia. Last year she bought 65 percent of Portugal’s energy The SDF has insisted it is not yet preparing to take ow that Isabel dos Santos, Africa’s wealthiest woman, up in London, where she studied mechanical and electrical and electrical engineering group Efacec, prompting calls by on IS in the city itself and analysts say any offensive has been named head of Angola’s oil company she engineering at King’s College. She moved to Angola in 1992 five European Union parliamentarians to investigate the to seize the city remains on the backburner for Ncould soon be headed for more power-but this time in when her father secured a brief civil war truce with rebel source of her funding. Critics say she amassed her vast for- now. “Neither the SDF coalition backed by the US, politics, experts say. Her father, President Jose Eduardo dos leader Jonas Savimbi. tune thanks to the state and backing of her father. But in a nor the regime forces assisted by Russia, have the Santos, appointed her as boss last week of state-owned oil Her first business venture was in 1995 when she opened a interview with the Wall Street Journal early this year, she ability on their own to reach, let alone take Raqa,” firm Sonangol in a move that some analysts see as the first restaurant, Miami Beach, as a 24-year-old in Angola’s capital denied being bankrolled by the government. “I’m not said Yezid Sayigh, an analyst at the Carnegie sign of succession plans for Angola’s longtime ruler. Luanda. Four years later she won a bid to set up Angola’s pri- financed by any state money or any public funds. I don’t do Middle East Centre. “They can only succeed if both Nicknamed the “Princess”, 43-year-old Isabel, has been ranked vate mobile operator Unitel. From there she went on an that,” she said. “I’m tremendously independent, I always had advance at the same time, but this can only be by Forbes magazine as the richest woman on the continent investment spree-including the creation of BIC Angola bank. this wish to stand alone and not be in my parents’ shadow.” with a fortune of around $3 billion (2.6 billion euros). Her She now controls 19 percent of Portugal’s fourth-biggest bank The mother of three is married to art collector and business- assured by direct coordination between the US appointment at Sonangol has political ramifications in Africa’s BPI and has bought shares in several Portuguese companies man Sindika Dokolo who is from the Democratic Republic of and Russia.” second largest oil-producing country. in recent years, including a cable television firm. Congo. —AFP The ruling MPLA party holds a crucial congress in August Marea and Azaz to elect its leadership and her authoritarian father appears to On May 27, IS launched a lightning offensive be winding down his own political career after announcing against the rebel bastions of Marea and Azaz in the would not seek re-election in 2017. Her new powerful role at north of Aleppo province, cutting off a rebel sup- Sonangol may position her for political office in a country ply line from Turkey. Fighting between IS jihadists ruled by her father for 37 years. “The president wants to and rebels inside Marea-who received weapons establish a dynasty and leave the power to his family,” promi- from the US-led coalition in an air drop last week- nent Angolan writer and human rights activist Rafael Marques de Morais said. “One of the ideas is that Isabel steps has been ongoing. The IS advance has stalled five up as vice president... and then along the way she takes over,” kilometers to the southeast of Azaz. —AFP Marques said. Paula Roque, University of Oxford researcher on Angola, says the appointment of Isabel dos Santos “is a clear indication All articles appearing on these that the president wants to put in place a plan... to hand over power and concentrate power in the hands of his family.” “For pages are the personal opinion of the first time, the president has made a very overt move to the writers. Kuwait Times takes no show what he is planning. This is the first open step in the suc- responsibility for views expressed cession plan,” Roque said. Three years ago President dos therein. Kuwait Times invites read- Santos appointed his son Jose Filomeno dos Santos to chair the country’s $5 billion Sovereign Wealth Fund. He has also ers to voice their opinions. Please been tipped as a potential successor to his father. send submissions via email to: opin- [email protected] or via snail Establish a dynasty PORTO, Portugal: Angolan businesswoman Isabel dos Santos arrives at the opening of an art exhibi- Most of Isabel’s wealth is in stocks and shares in Portugal tion in Porto, northern Portugal. Angolan President Jose Eduardo dos Santos has named his billion- mail to PO Box 1301 Safat, Kuwait. and Angola. According to Marques, Isabel dos Santos owns aire daughter Isabel to head the state oil firm Sonangol, according to a government statement. He The editor reserves the right to edit billions of dollars worth of shares through GALP Energia, an appointed the 43-year-old Isabel dos Santos chairwoman of a new board of directors of Sonangol, any submission as necessary. offshore oil and gas giant, which belongs to Sonangol. It is after sacking the previous board last month. Isabel dos Santos has been ranked by Forbes magazine GALP “she used to become the richest woman in Africa,” said as the richest woman on the continent.- AFP