The Command of the Arab Coalition in Support of the Legitimacy in Yemen has ended Qatar’s participation in the coalition.
The coalition announced that it has decided to end the participation of the State of Qatar in the coalition due to its practices that enhance terrorism and support terrorist organizations in Yemen including Al-Qaeda and Daesh and dealing with coup militias in Yemen which is contrary to the coalition’s objectives of which the most important objective is fighting terrorism, the Saudi Press Agency (SPA) reported.
On Monday, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, UAE, Egypt and Yemen have has severed diplomatic relations with Qatar over security issues in a major row between members of the Gulf Cooperation Council, media reports said.
SPA said Riyadh cut diplomatic ties and closed borders with Qatar to “protect its national security from the dangers of terrorism and extremism”.
A Saudi official cited by SPA said the country decided to “sever diplomatic and consular ties with Qatar, and to close all land, sea and aviation ports”.
The “decisive” measure was due to “gross violations committed by authorities in Qatar over the past years”, the Saudi statement said.
Bahrain’s action is “based on the insistence of Qatar to continue to undermine the security and stability of the Kingdom of Bahrain and to interfere in its domestic affairs, as well as on the escalation and incitement of its media and its support to acts of terror and to financing armed groups associated with Iran to carry out subversive attacks and spread chaos in the Kingdom” the BNA news agency said.
Bahrain is also withdrawing its diplomatic mission from Doha and giving all members of the Qatari diplomatic mission 48 hours to leave the Kingdom and the completion of the necessary procedures, the report said.
Bahrain is also closing its airspace, ports and territorial waters to air traffic and shipping to and from Qatar within 24 hours of the announcement of the statement.
Bahrain is also banning its citizens from travelling to Qatar or staying there, while Qatari citizens are not allowed to enter or pass through Bahrain.
Qatari residents and visitors are therefore given 14 days to leave the Kingdom in order to avoid any hostile attempts or activities that may exploit the situation, according to the report.
The dangerous Qatari practices have not been confined to the Kingdom of Bahrain, but have also been extended to sister countries that have been informed that such acts reflect a very dangerous pattern which cannot be ignored or accepted and must be addressed with full strength and firmness, the report said.
The United Arab Emirates (UAE) took similar actions affirming its complete commitment and support to the Gulf Cooperation Council and to the security and stability of the GCC States.
Egypt’s Foreign Ministry also accused Doha of supporting “terrorism” as it announced the severing of diplomatic relations.
A statement from the official spokesperson of Egypt Foreign Ministry said they took the decision on Monday “in light of the insistence of the Qatari government to take an anti-Egyptian stance and the failure of all attempts to dissuade it from supporting the terrorist organizations”.
Egypt also declared that it will close its airspace and sea ports with Qatar
The Qatar Ministry of Foreign Affairs expressed its deep regret at the decision of Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Bahrain to close their borders and airspace and cut off diplomatic relations, said a report in The Peninsula newspaper.