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| Version 4 | Version 5 |
|---|---|
| Qatar row: Four countries cut links with Doha | Qatar row: Four countries cut links with Doha |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates have cut diplomatic ties with Qatar, accusing it of destabilising the region. | Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates have cut diplomatic ties with Qatar, accusing it of destabilising the region. |
| They say Qatar backs terrorist groups including Islamic State (IS). | |
| The Saudi state news agency SPA said Riyadh had closed its borders, severing land, sea and air contact with Qatar and largely isolating it. | The Saudi state news agency SPA said Riyadh had closed its borders, severing land, sea and air contact with Qatar and largely isolating it. |
| It cited officials as saying it was to "protect its national security from the dangers of terrorism and extremism". | It cited officials as saying it was to "protect its national security from the dangers of terrorism and extremism". |
| The unprecedented move is being seen as the most serious split yet between powerful Gulf countries, who are also close US allies. | The unprecedented move is being seen as the most serious split yet between powerful Gulf countries, who are also close US allies. |
| The row comes two weeks after the same four countries blocked Qatari news sites. Controversial comments by Qatari emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani, appearing to criticise Saudi Arabia, appeared online. | The row comes two weeks after the same four countries blocked Qatari news sites. Controversial comments by Qatari emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani, appearing to criticise Saudi Arabia, appeared online. |
| The government in Doha dismissed the comments as fake, attributing the report to a "shameful cybercrime". | The government in Doha dismissed the comments as fake, attributing the report to a "shameful cybercrime". |
| In the latest developments: | In the latest developments: |
| The Saudi-led Arab coalition fighting Yemen's Houthi rebels also expelled Qatar from its alliance because of Doha's "practices that strengthen terrorism" and its support to groups "including al-Qaeda and Daesh [also known as IS], as well as dealing with the rebel militias", according to SPA. | |
| Qatar has provided its warplanes to carry out air strikes against the Houthi rebels. | Qatar has provided its warplanes to carry out air strikes against the Houthi rebels. |
| Qatar, which is due to host the football World Cup in 2022, has so far made no public comments on the latest developments. | Qatar, which is due to host the football World Cup in 2022, has so far made no public comments on the latest developments. |