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Killing Afghanistan’s Children

On Saturday a world largely numb to the decades long violence coming out of Afghanistan, was moved to horror by the attack on a school in the Dasht-e-Barchi neighbourhood in the west of Kabul. Those targeted by the attack, its tactics and its devastation were a combination of deep savagery. As media reports explained; “initially, a suicide bomber blew up a car full of explosives at the school gates; as school children ran out in panic, two more bombs went off, killing even more."
On social media one counterterrorism expert exclaimed; “DON’T TARGET SCHOOLCHILDREN”, and it is a question worth asking as to why the attack was planned, who did it and what do they hope to benefit from it? There has now been a series of attacks against civilian targets in Afghanistan, predictably the softest and least defended, which have gone unclaimed. The Taliban certainly haven’t claimed it and on Monday announced a three-day ceasefire for the Eid holiday following the attack that has now confirmed to have killed at least 85 people.
It seems decades ago, around the time of the Palestinian Second Intifada, that the rise of the suicide bomber phenomenon became an issue of global concern. Reams of writing investigated why people did it and incidents of the tactic would dominate the global headlines. There were 470 suicide bomb attacks in 2016 although that number has dropped considerably in recent years. The logic of volunteering or being coerced into becoming a suicide bomber often involves agreement as to the legitimacy of the target and that’s what makes it so hard to imagine how killing dozens of schoolgirls can be something worth dying for.
Yet that is exactly what happened. One scenario is the offshoots of the Taliban or more hard-line splinter groups are preparing the country for the post-US period from September. Sending bloody messages about whether girls should be allowed to go to school or not is politics by the most brutal of means. How many parents will think twice about sending their daughters to school after this attack? Already an estimated 3.7 million children are out-of-school in Afghanistan – 60% of them are girls.
A second logic is around the strategy of posing questions that only you have the answer to. If the Taliban or a linked group want to portray themselves as the best bet for a more secure Afghanistan, in a not too dissimilar way to their initial ascendency to power in the 1990s, then there is now better way to prepare the ground by encouraging carnage that only they can bring an end to.
There is often the paradoxical logic around winning the hearts and minds of a population by slaughtering their children. This may make little sense in more stable and representative body politics but in countries like Afghanistan which have a long history of contested governance it is a bit on the power of fear to assert rule.
Another factor is around accountability. There is obviously no justice in this life for the main perpetrator of the attack, but what of those who organised it and provided all the logistics? The number of burning fires and levels of violence in the country are such that the likelihood of successful criminal investigations is exceptionally slim.
Instead, the attack will be remembered in passing by most of the global audience and only those who’ve lost daughters and sisters will be left dealing with the lifelong trauma of having those nearest to them suddenly ripped for their lives in an attack of such wanton and illogical chaos.
Any action or event in Afghanistan over the next four months will be seen directly in the context of the US withdrawal and there is an interesting and outstanding question as to what Washington’s response to attacks like this will be. There initial response, via the State Department, was a standard condemnation of “the barbarous attack near a girls' school in Kabul, Afghanistan. We offer our condolences to the victims, many of whom were children, and their families. We call for an immediate end to violence and the senseless targeting of innocent civilians."
Condolences alone will not be much of a salve for those who lost so much from these attacks. The US should be far more imaginative in not allowing these types of heinous acts to go unchallenged. Supporting global investigative mechanisms and being clear that these attacks won’t just be historical footnotes but rather pivots on which the future Afghanistan will be judged are more tangible and immediate steps that should be considered.
by: James Denselow
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BENEFIT AGM approves 10%...
- March 27, 2025
BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, held its Annual General Meeting (AGM) at the company’s headquarters in the Seef District.
During the meeting, shareholders approved all items listed on the agenda, including the ratification of the minutes of the previous AGM held on 26 March 2024. The session reviewed and approved the Board’s Annual Report on the company’s activities and financial performance for the fiscal year ended 31 December 2024, and the shareholders expressed their satisfaction with the company’s operational and financial results during the reporting period.
The meeting also reviewed the Independent External Auditor’s Report on the company’s consolidated financial statements for the year ended 31 December 2024. Subsequently, the shareholders approved the audited financial statements for the fiscal year. Based on the Board’s recommendation, the shareholders approved the distribution of a cash dividend equivalent to 10% of the paid-up share capital.
Furthermore, the shareholders endorsed the allocation of a total amount of BD 172,500 as remuneration to the members of the Board for the year ended 31 December 2024, subject to prior clearance by related authorities.
The extension of the current composition of the Board was approved, which includes ten members and one CBB observer, for a further six-month term, expiring in September 2025, pending no objection from the CBB.
The meeting reviewed and approved the Corporate Governance Report for 2024, which affirmed the company’s full compliance with the corporate governance directives issued by the CBB and other applicable regulatory frameworks. The AGM absolved the Board Members of liability for any of their actions during the year ending on 31st December 2024, in accordance with the Commercial Companies Law.
In alignment with regulatory requirements, the session approved the reappointment of Ernst & Young (EY) as the company’s External Auditors for the fiscal year 2025, covering both the parent company and its subsidiaries—Sinnad and Bahrain FinTech Bay. The Board was authorised to determine the external auditors’ professional fees, subject to approval from the CBB, and the meeting concluded with a discussion of any additional issues as per Article (207) of the Commercial Companies Law.
Speaking on the company’s performance, Mr. Mohamed Al Bastaki, Chairman BENEFIT , stated: “In terms of the financial results for 2024, I am pleased to say that the year gone by has also been proved to be a success in delivering tangible results. Growth rate for 2024 was 19 per cent. Revenue for the year was BD 17 M (US$ 45.3 Million) and net profit was 2 Million ($ 5.3 Million).
Mr. Al Bastaki also announced that the Board had formally adopted a new three-year strategic roadmap to commence in 2025. The strategy encompasses a phased international expansion, optimisation of internal operations, enhanced revenue diversification, long-term sustainability initiatives, and the advancement of innovation and digital transformation initiatives across all service lines.
“I extend my sincere appreciation to the CBB for its continued support of BENEFIT and its pivotal role in fostering a stable and progressive regulatory environment for the Kingdom’s banking and financial sector—an environment that has significantly reinforced Bahrain’s standing as a leading financial hub in the region,” said Mr. Al Bastaki. “I would also like to thank our partner banks and valued customers for their trust, and our shareholders for their ongoing encouragement. The achievements of 2024 set a strong precedent, and I am confident they will serve as a foundation for yet another successful and impactful year ahead.”
Chief Executive of BENEFIT; Mr. Abdulwahed AlJanahi commented, “The year 2024 represented another pivotal chapter in BENEFIT ’s evolution. We achieved substantial progress in advancing our digital strategy across multiple sectors, while reinforcing our long-term commitment to the development of Bahrain’s financial services and payments landscape. Throughout the year, we remained firmly aligned with our objective of delivering measurable value to our shareholders, strategic partners, and customers. At the same time, we continued to play an active role in enabling Bahrain’s digital economy by introducing innovative solutions and service enhancements that directly address market needs and future opportunities.”
Mr. AlJanahi affirmed that BENEFIT has successfully developed a robust and well-integrated payment network that connects individuals and businesses across Bahrain, accelerating the adoption of emerging technologies in the banking and financial services sector and reinforcing Bahrain’s position as a growing fintech hub, and added, “Our achievements of the past year reflect a long-term vision to establish a resilient electronic payment infrastructure that supports the Kingdom’s digital economy. Key developments in 2024 included the implementation of central authentication for open banking via BENEFIT Pay”
Mr. AlJanahi concluded by thanking the Board for its strategic direction, the company’s staff for their continued dedication, and the Central Bank of Bahrain, member banks, and shareholders for their valuable partnership and confidence in the company’s long-term vision.
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