Saudi artist Raghad Al-Ahmad discusses her Adidas collaboration
Saudi artist Raghad Al-Ahmad discusses her Adidas collaboration /node/2571059/lifestyle
Saudi artist Raghad Al-Ahmad discusses her Adidas collaboration
Al-Ahmad has collaborated with Adidas on their first capsule collection tailored for the Saudi market, in celebration of the Kingdom’s upcoming National Day on Sept. 23. (Supplied)
Saudi artist Raghad Al-Ahmad discusses her Adidas collaboration
Al-Ahmad worked on the brand’s first capsule collection tailored for the Saudi market
Updated 12 September 2024
Shyama Krishna Kumar
DUBAI: For Saudi artist Raghad Al-Ahmad, the chance to incorporate her roots and identity into the fabric of the famed apparel company Adidas was a dream come true.
Al-Ahmad has collaborated with Adidas on their first capsule collection tailored for the Saudi market, in celebration of the Kingdom’s upcoming National Day on Sept. 23.
The collection — called “Bloom Sky” — features the usual crop of functional unisex pieces including pants, shorts, sweaters, jackets, hoodies and t-shirts.
The collection — called “Bloom Sky” — features the usual crop of functional unisex pieces including pants, shorts, sweaters, jackets, hoodies and t-shirts. (Supplied)
In addition, it has women’s modest-wear pieces including abayas and hijabs, all with a distinct Al-Ahmad touch.
“I believe we need to respect and integrate cultural elements into our collection. By including modest wear, we can connect with individuals who value this aspect of their culture, creating a complete experience,” Al-Ahmad tells Arab News.
“As a designer who wears abayas daily and strives to be modest through layering and matching, I understand the importance of these elements. Adding them to our collection will have a significant impact, allowing us to craft something that truly resonates with the culture we are embracing.”
A piece from the 'Bloom Sky' collection. (Supplied)
The name of the collection is inspired by a poem by Makkah Governor Prince Khaled Al-Faisal. The first sentence of the Arabic poem translates to: “The sky is pink and my desert is blooming.”
“As an Arab, I’ve grown up in a culture where poetry is a significant form of expression. I remember my grandmother always reading poems she had written, and my mother, who loved collecting poetry books,” Al-Ahmad says. “I am particularly inspired by Prince Khaled’s poetry and his vivid descriptions of the natural world around him.”
The collection, which depicts iconography symbolizing flowers and stars, is an ode to all things Saudi and Al-Ahmad took inspiration from her everyday surroundings.
Al-Ahmad (R) working on her designs with a member of the Adidas team. (Supplied)
“My dad, an adventurer, retired from flight maintenance and began exploring Saudi Arabia in his motorhome. He opened a gateway to the country’s wonderful nature, camping amid the desert’s beauty,” the Jeddah-born artist explains.
“He introduced me to the captivating Saudi lavender flowers, showing his happiness surrounded by them in the desert. We found inspiration in the contrast between the sand’s color and the vibrant lavender.”
Al-Ahmad is a multi-disciplinary experimental artist who likes to work in mediums including collage, installation, sculpture and digital films
This isn’t Al-Ahmad’s first partnership with an international brand. For example, in 2021 she collaborated with French luxury label Jean Paul Gaultier to create playing cards that represent and celebrate the Kingdom’s culture on the occasion of Saudi National Day.
The “Bloom Sky” collection is part of Adidas’ efforts to collaborate with and promote artists from the region.
In recent years, the company has forged strategic partnerships across the region with governing bodies, sporting organizations, teams, and clubs, with a focus on promoting women's participation in sports and improving access to athletic opportunities.
“I was amazed by the Adidas team’s curiosity and their ability to adopt my culture in many ways, translating it into a product that everyone appreciates,” Al-Ahmad says. “The team paid attention to every detail, and for that, I am deeply grateful. Special thanks to each member … for bringing an innovative approach to my culture.”
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said on Monday he was “saddened” at the passing of ex-US president Jimmy Carter, saying that the former American leader will be remembered for his statesmanship and advocacy for global peace.
Carter, the longest-lived American president, died on Sunday at the age of 100 more than a year after entering hospice care at his home in the small town of Plains, Georgia. A moderate Democrat, Carter entered the 1976 presidential race as a little-known Georgia governor with outspoken Baptist mores and technocratic plans reflecting his education as an engineer.
The former US president won the presidency in the wake of the infamous Watergate scandal and the Vietnam War. He went on to endure a humbling defeat after one tumultuous term and then redefined life after the White House as a global humanitarian, building houses for the poor well into his 90s.
“Saddened to learn of the passing away of former US President Jimmy Carter,” Sharif wrote on social media platform X.
“I offer my sincere condolences to his family members and the American people. He will long be remembered for his humility and statesmanship as well as his advocacy for global peace and contribution to humanitarian causes.”
Saddened to learn of the passing away of former U.S. President Jimmy Carter. I offer my sincere condolences to his family members and the American people. He will long be remembered for his humility and statesmanship as well as his advocacy for global peace and contribution to…
Carter governed amid Cold War pressures, turbulent oil markets and social upheaval over racism, women’s rights and America’s global role. His most acclaimed achievement in office was a Mideast peace deal that he brokered by keeping Egyptian President Anwar Sadat and Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin at the bargaining table for 13 days in 1978. That Camp David experience inspired the post-presidential center where Carter would establish so much of his legacy.
Yet Carter’s electoral coalition splintered under double-digit inflation, gasoline lines and the 444-day hostage crisis in Iran. His bleakest hour came when eight Americans died in a failed hostage rescue in April 1980, helping to ensure his landslide defeat to Republican Ronald Reagan.
Pakistan has enjoyed varying relations with US presidents over the decades, reflecting ties between the two countries for over 70 years. Islamabad and Washington collaborated during the Cold War and in the fight against Al-Qaeda after 9/11.
However, ties have been strained due to coups in the South Asian country by Pakistan’s military, support for the Taliban’s 1996-2001 rule in Afghanistan, and over Pakistan’s nuclear weapons program.
In Gaza’s crowded tent camps, women wrestle with a life stripped of privacy
Updated 24 min 34 sec ago
AP
DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza City: For Gaza’s women, the hardships of life in the territory’s sprawling tent camps are compounded by the daily humiliation of never having privacy.
Women struggle to dress modestly while crowded into tents with extended family members, including men, and with strangers only steps away in neighboring tents. Access to menstrual products is limited, so they cut up sheets or old clothes to use as pads. Makeshift toilets usually consist of only a hole in the sand surrounded by sheets dangling from a line, and these must be shared with dozens of other people.
Alaa Hamami has dealt with the modesty issue by constantly wearing her prayer shawl, a black cloth that covers her head and upper body.
“Our whole lives have become prayer clothes, even to the market we wear it,” said the young mother of three. “Dignity is gone.”
Normally, she would wear the shawl only when performing her daily Muslim prayers. But with so many men around, she keeps it on all the time, even when sleeping — just in case an Israeli strike hits nearby in the night and she has to flee quickly, she said.
Women wait to receive donated food at a distribution center for displaced Palestinians in Deir al-Balah, Gaza Strip, on Dec. 17, 2024. (AP)
Israel’s 14-month-old campaign in Gaza has driven more than 90 percent of its 2.3 million Palestinians from their homes. Hundreds of thousands of them are now living in squalid camps of tents packed close together over large areas.
Sewage runs into the streets, and food and water are hard to obtain. Winter is setting in. Families often wear the same clothes for weeks because they left clothing and many other belongings behind as they fled.
Everyone in the camps searches daily for food, clean water and firewood. Women feel constantly exposed.
Gaza has always been a conservative society. Most women wear the hijab, or head scarf, in the presence of men who are not immediate family. Matters of women’s health — pregnancy, menstruation and contraception — tend not to be discussed publicly.
“Before we had a roof. Here it does not exist,” said Hamami, whose prayer shawl is torn and smudged with ash from cooking fires. “Here our entire lives have become exposed to the public. There is no privacy for women.”
Even simple needs are hard to meet
Wafaa Nasrallah, a displaced mother of two, says life in the camps makes even the simplest needs difficult, like getting period pads, which she cannot afford. She tried using pieces of cloth and even diapers, which have also increased in price.
For a bathroom, she has a hole in the ground, surrounded by blankets propped up by sticks.
Wafaa Nasrallah shows her sanitary pads at her tent in a camp for displaced Palestinians in Deir al-Balah, Gaza Strip, Saturday Dec. 28, 2024. (AP)
The UN says more than 690,000 women and girls in Gaza require menstrual hygiene products, as well as clean water and toilets. Aid workers have been unable to meet demand, with supplies piling up at crossings from Israel. Stocks of hygiene kits have run out, and prices are exorbitant. Many women have to choose between buying pads and buying food and water.
Doaa Hellis, a mother of three living in a camp, said she has torn up her old clothes to use for menstrual pads. “Wherever we find fabric, we tear it up and use it.”
A packet of pads costs 45 shekels ($12), “and there is not even five shekels in the whole tent,” she said.
Anera, a rights group active in Gaza, says some women use birth control pills to halt their periods. Others have experienced disruptions in their cycles because of the stress and trauma of repeated displacement.
The terrible conditions pose real risks to women’s health, said Amal Seyam, the director of the Women’s Affairs Center in Gaza, which provides supplies for women and surveys them about their experiences.
She said some women have not changed clothes for 40 days. That and improvised cloth pads “will certainly create” skin diseases, diseases related to reproductive health and psychological conditions, she said.
“Imagine what a woman in Gaza feels like, if she’s unable to control conditions related to hygiene and menstrual cycles,” Seyam said.
Alaa Hamami shows some of her deteriorated clothes inside her tent at a camp for displaced Palestinians in Deir al-Balah, Gaza Strip, Nov. 9, 2024. (AP)
‘Everything is destroyed’
Hellis remembered a time not so long ago, when being a woman felt more like a joy and less like a burden.
“Women are now deprived of everything, no clothes, no bathroom. Their psychology is completely destroyed,” she said.
Seyam said the center has tracked cases where girls have been married younger, before the age of 18, to escape the suffocating environment of their family’s tents. The war will “continue to cause a humanitarian disaster in every sense of the word. And women always pay the biggest price,” she said.
Israel’s campaign in Gaza has killed more than 45,000 Palestinians, over half of them women and children, according to the territory’s Health Ministry. Its count does not differentiate between combatants and civilians.
Israel launched its assault in retaliation for the Oct. 7, 2023, attack by Hamas on southern Israel, in which militants killed some 1,200 people and abducted around 250 others.
With large swaths of Gaza’s cities and towns leveled, women wrestle with reduced lives in their tents.
Hamami can walk the length of her small tent in a few strides. She shares it with 13 other people from her extended family. During the war, she gave birth to a son, Ahmed, who is now 8 months old. Between caring for him and her two other children, washing her family’s laundry, cooking and waiting in line for water, she says there’s no time to care for herself.
She has a few objects that remind her of what her life once was, including a powder compact she brought with her when she fled her home in the Shati camp of Gaza City. The makeup is now caked and crumbling. She managed to keep hold of a small mirror through four different displacements over the past year. It’s broken into two shards that she holds together every so often to catch a glimpse of her reflection.
“Previously, I had a wardrobe that contained everything I could wish for,” she said. “We used to go out for a walk every day, go to wedding parties, go to parks, to malls, to buy everything we wanted.”
Women “lost their being and everything in this war,” she said. “Women used to take care of themselves before the war. Now everything is destroyed.”
Now Syria’s long-ruling Baath party is collapsing, too
Many members of the party’s leadership have gone into hiding and some have fled the country
Calls are on the rise to officially dissolve the Arab Socialist Baath Party that had ruled Syria since 1963
Updated 35 min 2 sec ago
AP
DAMASCUS: A few days after insurgents in Syria overthrew President Bashar Assad, his ruling Baath party announced it was freezing its activities, marking a stunning change in fortunes for the political group that had ruled for more than six decades.
Many members of the party’s leadership have gone into hiding and some have fled the country. In a symbolic move, Syria’s new rulers have turned the former party headquarters in Damascus into a center where former members of the army and security forces line up to register their names and hand over their weapons.
Calls are on the rise to officially dissolve the Arab Socialist Baath Party that had ruled Syria since 1963.
Many Syrians — including former party members — say its rule damaged relations with other Arab countries and aided in the spread of corruption that brought the war-torn nation to its knees.
“The party should not only be dissolved, it should go to hell,” said Mohammed Hussein Ali, 64, who worked for a state oil company and was a party member for decades until he quit at the start of Syria’s anti-government uprising in 2011 that turned into civil war. He never left the country and said he is happy the Baath rule is over.
An official with Hayat Tahrir Al-Sham, or HTS, the group that led the insurgent offensive that overthrew Assad, said no official decision has been made on what to do with the Baath party.
The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak publicly about the matter, noted that HTS leader Ahmad Al-Sharaa has said that officials who committed crimes against the Syrian people over the past decades will be brought to justice and hinted that they include party members.
The Baath party, whose aim was to unify Arab states in one nation, was founded by two Syrian Arab nationalists, Michel Aflaq and Salaheddine Bitar, in 1947 and at one point ruled two Arab countries, Iraq and Syria.
A rivalry developed between the Syrian branch under Assad and his late father, Hafez, and the one in Iraq under Saddam Hussein, who was removed from power by a US-led invasion in 2003.
In Syria, the Baath party became inextricably associated with the Assad family, which took power in 1970. For decades, the family used the party and its pan-Arab ideology to control the country. Many senior military jobs were held by members of the family’s minority Alawite sect, and party membership was used as a cover to give it a nationalist rather than a sectarian nature.
A former soldier and decades-long Baath party member who came to party headquarters to cut his military ties, Abdul-Rahman Ali, said he had no idea it was founded by Aflaq and Bitar. He had always thought that Hafez Assad was the founder.
“I am happy. We have been liberated from fear,” said Ali, 43. “Even the walls had ears. We didn’t dare express opinions with anyone.” He was referring to the dreaded security and intelligence agencies that detained and tortured people who expressed criticism of Assad or government officials.
Many Syrians were required to join the Baath Vanguards, the party’s youth branch, while in elementary school, where Arab nationalist and socialist ideology was emphasized.
It was difficult for people who were not party members to get government jobs or join the army or the security and intelligence services.
In 2012, a year after Syria’s uprising began, a paragraph of the constitution stating that the Baath party was the leader of the nation and society was abolished, in a move aimed to appease the public’s demand for political reforms. In practice, however, the party remained in control, with members holding majority seats in parliament and government.
Another former soldier, who gave only his first name, Ghadir, out of fear of reprisals as a member of the Alawite sect, said he came from a poor family and joined the party so he could enter the military for a stable income.
“You could not take any job if you were not a Baathist,” he said.
While few are mourning the party’s fall in Syria, some are concerned that the Sunni majority that now controls the country could carry out a purge similar to the one in Iraq after Saddam’s fall.
A de-Baathification committee was formed in Iraq and its main job was purging Saddam loyalists from government and military institutions. The Sunni minority considered it a means of sectarian score-settling by Iraq’s Shiite majority. The Sunni resentment and disenfranchisement that followed helped to drive the rise of extremist groups in the country including Al-Qaeda and the Islamic State in Iraq.
In Syria, a Baath party statement issued three days after Assad’s fall called on all members to hand their weapons and public cars to the new authorities.
On Dec. 24, party member and former army colonel Mohammed Merhi was among hundreds who lined up at the former party headquarters and handed over weapons.
Merhi said the Baath party should be given another opportunity because its principles are good but were exploited over decades. But he said he might want to join another party if Syria becomes a multiparty democracy in the future.
He handed over his Soviet Makarov pistol and received a document saying he can now move freely in the country after reconciling with the new authorities.
“I want to become again a normal Syrian citizen and work to build a new Syria,” he said.
ISLAMABAD: From cricket to field hockey and even track and field competitions, Pakistan’s sports journey was rife with several highs and lows throughout 2024 that left fans jumping with joy or extremely dejected and heartbroken.
As 2024 draws to a close, here is a snapshot of how Pakistani sports fared throughout the year in cricket, field hockey, mixed martial arts, and track and field competitions.
ARSHAD NADEEM
Pakistan’s biggest sporting triumph this year was Arshad Nadeem. The star javelin thrower shocked the world in August when he threw the javelin at a record-breaking 92.97 meters, earning his country its first Olympic gold medal in javelin.
Nadeem became a household name overnight, earning cash prizes and awards from government officials for his notable achievement.
Gold medallist Pakistan's Arshad Nadeem celebrates on the podium during the victory ceremony for the men's javelin throw athletics event during the Paris 2024 Olympic Games at Stade de France in Saint-Denis, north of Paris, on August 9, 2024. (AFP/File)
CRICKET HEARTBREAKS
Pakistan cricket was rife with bad news for enthusiastic fans throughout the year. The ICC T20 World Cup in June was disappointing for the green shirts, who crashed out of the tournament in the first round after a shock defeat at the hands of minnows USA and arch-rivals India.
Pakistan's Haris Rauf (C) reacts to a run during the ICC men's Twenty20 World Cup 2024 group A cricket match between Pakistan and Canada at Nassau County International Cricket Stadium in East Meadow, New York on June 11, 2024. (AFP/File)
To add insult to injury, Pakistan succumbed to its first Test series defeat against Bangladesh at home 2-0 in September.
However, the men’s squad turned their fortunes around by beating England 2-1 at home in a Test series before beating Australia in an ODI away series 2-1 for the first time in 22 years. Pakistan also became the first side to whitewash South Africa 3-0 in an away ODI series in December.
SHEHROZE KASHIF SHATTERS MOUNTAINEERING RECORDS
Renowned Pakistani mountaineer Shehroze Kashif made history by becoming the youngest high-altitude climber from Pakistan to summit all 14 of the world’s tallest peaks this year. He was able to achieve the feat after his successful ascent of the Shishapangma mountain in Tibet.
These 14 peaks, known as the “eight-thousanders,” are each over 8,000 meters high and represent the ultimate challenge in mountaineering. At just 22 years old, Kashif’s remarkable journey in climbing began when he was only 11 years old.
SOHAIL SISTERS BAG FOUR GOLD MEDALS
Two Pakistani female weightlifters, Cybil and Veronica Sohail, who also happen to be sisters, bagged four gold medals during a sports championship in South Africa in August.
The Sohails competed in the 52- and 57-kilogram categories, winning four gold medals each in the squat, bench press, deadlift, and total categories.
This photo, shared by Twinkle Sohail, shows Pakistani female weightlifters Twinkle Sohail (right), Cybil Sohail (center) and Veronica Sohail (left) at the Lahore airport as they leave for South Africa to compete at the Asian/African/Pacific Powerlifting Championship. (Photo courtesy: Facebook/TwinkleSohail)
SHAHZAIB RIND MAKES IT BIG IN KARATE
Pakistan’s Shahzaib Rind brought laurels to the country when he won the World Karate Combat Light Heavyweight Championship in September, defeating Brazil’s Luiz Victor Rocha in the final held in Singapore.
The World Karate Combat is a global professional martial arts league featuring fighters from various weight classes and countries. Rind, from Balochistan, triumphed in the Light Heavyweight division, which includes fighters weighing between 175 and 205 pounds (79 to 93 kg).
The picture posted on April 13, 2023, shows Pakistani ‘Karate Kid’ Shahzaib Rind holding Pakistani flag after winning a fight in US. (Shahzaib Rind)
PAKISTAN’S MMA STAR ANITA KARIM BEATS ITALIAN OPPONENT
Anita Karim, Pakistan’s first-ever female Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) fighter, secured a victory over Italy’s Adriana Fusini in January 2024 in Thailand, making her country proud with a stellar performance.
Hailing from Hunza Valley, Karim has previously earned numerous accolades at both local and international levels.
Competing in the ‘Women’s Atomweight’ category, the match lasted just one round, with Karim defeating Fusini in 2 minutes and 20 seconds by forcing a submission with a keylock.
Pakistan's Anita Karim takes a bow after winning a fight against Italian newcomer Adriana Fusini at the legendary Lumpinee Boxing Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand, on Jan. 26, 2024. (Anita Karim)
BISMAH MAROOF CALLS IT A DAY
Former Pakistan women’s captain Bismah Maroof announced she was retiring from international cricket in April this year.
Maroof is the only Pakistani woman batter to score over 3,000 runs in One Day Internationals (ODIs) and 2,500 runs in T20 Internationals (T20Is). She holds the record for the most runs in both formats, cementing her status as one of the finest batters Pakistan has ever seen in women’s cricket.
She featured in 276 international matches throughout her 18-year career for Pakistan.
The picture uploaded by Pakistan Cricket Board on November 13, 2019 shows former Pakistan women’s captain Bismah Maroof playing a shot in a match against Bangladesh. (Pakistan Cricket Board)
PAKISTAN’S FIELD HOCKEY RESURGENCE
The Pakistan hockey team displayed a remarkable performance at the Sultan Azlan Shah Cup in Malaysia this year, making it to the final for the first time in 13 years. In the final, Pakistan faced Japan and after a 2-2 draw at full time, Japan won 4-1 in a penalty shootout, claiming the title.
PAKISTAN LIFT BLIND T20 WORLD CUP TROPHY
Pakistan won the Blind T20 World Cup in December after defeating Bangladesh by 10 wickets in a victory that coincided with the annual International Day Of Persons With Disabilities.
This was the first time Pakistan won the Blind T20 World Cup since the inception of the tournament in 2012, with India winning the previous three editions.
The hosts lifted the cup after taking part in a tournament where India did not feature due to its political tensions with Pakistan.
MUHAMMAD ASIF WINS WORLD SNOOKER TITLE
Veteran Pakistani cueist MUhammad Asif won his third IBSF World Snooker Championship title in November, equaling India’s Pankaj Advani’s record of three individual world titles. Pakistan’s other pool players achieve remarkable results as well, with Awais Munir claiming the Asian 6-Red Snooker Championship and rising star MUhammad Hasnain defeating Ahsan Ramzan to win the Asian U21 Snooker Championship this year.
The picture posted by Radio Pakistan on November 6, 2024 shows Muhammad Asif posing for a pictue after winning his third IBSF World Snooker Championship title in Qatar. (Radio Pakistan
PAKISTAN FAIL TO QUALIFY FOR FIFA WORLD CUP 2026
The year 2024 was another challenging one for Pakistani football, with the men’s national team failing to qualify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
However, the national team reached a historic milestone by advancing to the second round of the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) qualification for the 2026 World Cup this year. This success was especially notable because Pakistan secured their place in the second round after a historic 1-0 aggregate victory over Cambodia in the first round.
The picture posted on June 5, 2024 on Pakistan Football Federation's Instagram account shows group picture of Pakistan's men football team ahead of their match against Saudi Arabia. (Pakistan Football Federation)
ISLAMABAD: Pakistani health authorities will launch a week-long anti-polio vaccination drive in the country’s southwestern Balochistan, the province worst affected by poliovirus today, Monday, state-run media reported.
Balochistan has reported 27 polio cases this year, the highest among all Pakistani provinces this year out of a total of 67 cases. Pakistan’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Sindh provinces have reported 19 cases each this year while Punjab and Islamabad have each reported one case of the infection.
Pakistan, along with neighboring Afghanistan, remains the last polio-endemic country in the world. The nation’s polio eradication campaign has faced serious problems with a spike in reported cases this year that have prompted officials to review their approach to stopping the crippling disease.
“In Balochistan, weeklong anti-polio vaccination drive across the province starts today,” state broadcaster Radio Pakistan said. “According to Coordinator Emergency Operation Center Balochistan Inamul-Haq, more than 2.6 million children up to five years of age would be administered anti-polio drops.”
Haq said over 11,000 teams have been constituted for administering anti-polio vaccines to children up to five years of age at their doorstep. The official requested parents, media and citizens to play their role in making the anti-polio campaign a successful one.
Pakistani authorities this month conducted a large-scale sub-national polio vaccination campaign in Punjab, Sindh, KP, Azad Jammu and Kashmir, Gilgit-Baltistan and Islamabad, vaccinating over 42 million children.
Poliovirus, which can cause crippling paralysis particularly in young children, is incurable and remains a threat to human health as long as it has not been eradicated. Immunization campaigns have succeeded in most countries and have come close in Pakistan, but persistent problems remain.
In the early 1990s, Pakistan reported around 20,000 cases annually but in 2018 the number dropped to eight cases. Six cases were reported in 2023 and only one in 2021.
Pakistan’s polio program began in 1994 but efforts to eradicate the virus have since been undermined by vaccine misinformation and opposition from some religious hard-liners, who say immunization is a foreign ploy to sterilize Muslim children or a cover for Western spies. Militant groups also frequently attack and kill members of polio vaccine teams.
