Turkey to deploy further troops in Doha

CAIRO – 2 March 2018: Turkey is considering the deployment of naval and air forces and troops to Doha, Turkish ambassador to Qatar, Fikret Ozer, told reporters at a press conference in Doha.

The conference, which addressed the Turkish "Olive Branch" military operation in northwestern Syria, addressed close relations between Qatar and Turkey.

The deployment of the new troops will add to the troops that are already stationed in Doha, Ozer said the deployment of the troops is according to an agreement signed between Qatar and Turkey in 2014.

“Ankara and Doha would determine the timeline of the construction of the necessary infrastructure and when these forces will be deployed through talks,” he said.

The planned deployment is part of an agreement that also saw Turkey set up a military camp in Qatar.

The first batch of Turkish troops arrived at the Tariq Bin Ziyad military base in 2015.

The camp, located south of Doha, is Turkey's first such installation in the Middle East and can accommodate up to 5,000 soldiers.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has been a major supporter of Doha since Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and the UAE severed diplomatic and trade relations with Qatar on June 5 for supporting terrorism and fostering ties with their regional rival, Iran.