- Sputnik International
World
Get the latest news from around the world, live coverage, off-beat stories, features and analysis.

Qatar Communications Director Calls New Blacklist 'Disappointing Surprise'

© REUTERS / Naseem ZeitoonA man walks on the corniche in Doha, Qatar, June 15, 2017
A man walks on the corniche in Doha, Qatar, June 15, 2017 - Sputnik International
Subscribe
The decision of four Arab states to expand their campaign against Doha to individuals and entities with alleged links to Qatar’s support of terrorism is a "disappointing surprise," as it shows that those countries are not actually devoted to fighting terrorism themselves, Qatari Communications Director Sheikh Saif bin Ahmed Al Thani said.

MOSCOW (Sputnik) – On Tuesday, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Egypt and Bahrain added nine entities in Yemen and Libya and nine persons from Qatar, Yemen, and Kuwait over alleged ties to Qatar and support for terrorists, including the al-Qaeda terror group.

"It comes as a disappointing surprise that the blockading countries are still pursuing this story as part of their smear campaign against Qatar," Al Thani said in a statement quoted by the Al Jazeera broadcaster.

The Qatari official noted the latest list showed the four Arab countries were "not committed to the fight against terrorism."

People sit on the corniche in Doha, Qatar, June 15, 2017. - Sputnik International
Four Arab States Add 9 Entities, 9 People to Terror List Over Ties to Qatar
"All individuals with links to terrorism in Qatar have been prosecuted. We encourage the blockading countries to spend less time on drafting these fabricated lists and more time on implementing measures to counter the threat of extremism in their own countries," Al Thani stressed.

In June, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Bahrain, and Egypt broke off diplomatic relations with Qatar, accusing it of supporting terrorism and interfering in their internal affairs. Doha has rejected the allegations as baseless.

Kuwait, acting as a mediator in the crisis, handed over the four Arab states' ultimatum of demands for Doha. The list included requests to sever relations with Iran, close Turkey’s military base on Qatar's territory, shut down the Al Jazeera TV channel, and end support for the Muslim Brotherhood, a terrorist organization banned in Russia. Doha has refused to comply with the demands.

Newsfeed
0
To participate in the discussion
log in or register
loader
Chats
Заголовок открываемого материала