Sunni Arab tribes in the west, bound by a strict honour code, are widely believed to be sheltering fugitives.

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"I cannot answer that question because there is a republican code of honour, " he said.

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But on EA's official forum, Origin's community manager Sam Houston said the company would "honour all sales made with the coupon code over the weekend and hope fans enjoy their games".

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The code they espouse is a combination of Islamic puritanism and Pashtun custom, the basic tenets of which are honour, revenge and respect for private property.

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