Qatar takes Bahrain to UN over 'serious' airspace violation

Blockade-hit Qatar has accused Bahrain of violating its airspace and has reported the incident to the UN's aviation authority.

MENA

2 min read

The New Arab & agencies

28 March, 2018

Qatar has accused Bahrain of violating its air space [Getty]

Qatar has filed a complaint at the UN over a breach of its airspace by a Bahrain warplane.

The incident took place on Sunday, Doha's state news agency QNA reported, saying only that it was a "serious breach that constitutes a serious and flagrant violation of international law".

On Monday, the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain civil aviation authorities said two Qatari war planes had flown close to two civilian aircraft from the UAE while they were in Bahraini airspace.

They, too, said complaints would be lodged with the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), the United Nations' aviation agency.

Qatar denied the claim, saying the UAE was trying to cover up for its own violations of Qatari airspace.

Read more: Reaching for the skies: Making Gulf airspace a virtual battleground tarnishes Middle East aviation industry

Qatar and the UAE have clashed repeatedly over alleged airspace violations this year, as a diplomatic crisis in the Gulf enters its tenth month.

Saudi Arabia, UAE, Bahrain and Egypt allege Doha supports terrorism - a charge it categorically denies - and imposed sanctions in June last year.

The anti-Qatar bloc issued a list of 13 demands that Doha must abide to before the blockade is lifted.

The list of demands included shutting down media outlets Al Jazeera and London-based The New Arab, curbing relations with Iran and closing a Turkish military base in the emirate.

Qatar denies the allegations and accuses the bloc of aiming to incite regime change.