Turkish parliament passes law approving deploying Turkish troops in Qatar
The Turkish parliament today approved the deployment of troops to a Turkish base in Qatar amid a widening crisis between Doha and its rivals in the Gulf.
The move is seen as a sign of Turkish support to Qatar after Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Egypt and Bahrain, among other states, cut diplomatic ties and major transport links with the gas-rich emirate.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan defended Qatar after several countries severed diplomatic ties with it, saying he personally would have intervened if accusations that the tiny Gulf emirate supports “terrorism” were true, Al-Jazeera reported.
Erdogan stood by Qatar on Tuesday, saying he intends to “develop” ties with the embattled Gulf state hit by sanctions from Saudi Arabia and its allies, Al-Jazeera added.
“Let me say at the outset that we do not think the sanctions against Qatar are good,” Erdogan said in a speech in Ankara.
“Turkey will continue and will develop our ties with Qatar, as with all our friends who have supported us in the most difficult moments,” he added in reference to last year’s failed coup, Al-Jazeera indicated.
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