Sixth batch of Turkish troops arrive in Qatar amid ongoing blockade

A fresh batch of Turkish troops arrived in Qatar on Tuesday, to carry out joint training exercises as part of an Ankara-Qatar military agreement.

MENA

2 min read

The New Arab

19 July, 2017

The exercises are taking place amid a diplomatic crisis in the Gulf [Twitter]

Qatar's ministry of defence announced the arrival of the sixth batch of Turkish troops in Doha on Tuesday, to take part in joint exercises that have been taking place since last month.

The ministry said the troops will take part in a training mission under joint military cooperation between Ankara and Doha, aimed at supporting counter-terror efforts and maintaining security and stability in the region.

"Arrival of the 6th batch of Turkish forces to Qatar, to continue the ongoing joint cooperation in combating terror and violent extremism," the ministry said on Twitter.

The first batch of Turkish troops arrived in Doha on June 8 and carried out military training at the Tariq bin Ziyad battalion camp. The exercises included a parade of military tanks inside the camp.

The exercises are taking place as a diplomatic crisis in the Gulf enters its sixth week, with no signs of a near resolution.

Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Egypt and other countries have cut ties with Qatar over accusations the emirate supports terrorism.

Doha denies the accusations and says measures imposed on Qatar by its Gulf neighbours amount to a "blockade".

The Saudi-led camp have since issued Doha with an ultimatum, which includes a demand for ending all military cooperation with Turkey.

Turkey has strongly backed Qatar in the crisis with Saudi Arabia and other Arab nations that cut off relations with Doha.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has slammed the economic and political isolation of Qatar as "inhumane and un-Islamic".