Turkey to train Qatari army

CAIRO – 8 June 2017: Eight countries, so far, have decided to cut diplomatic relations with Qatar, accusing it of supporting and financing terrorism, allying with Iran and disturbing security and stability in the region.

Tamim bin Hamad, emir of the tiny Gulf emirate, is now seeking Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s protection, lest a coup is plotted against his regime.

The Turkish Parliament agreed on sending 3000 soldiers to Qatar, according to Israeli news channel I24news.

Erdogan on Wednesday condemned the action taken against Qatar, saying he did not find the sanctions imposed on Qatar “right.”

According to officials at the Turkish conservative political Justice and Development Party (AK Parti), the Grand National Assembly of Turkey (TBMM) is expected to pass quick bills to deploy Turkish forces in Qatar. The bills also include a move to train Qatari troops.

On May 4, TBMM's Foreign Affairs Commission approved a protocol for gendarmerie training cooperation with Qatar.

The bills are soon to be voted on in a Parliament general session.

On Monday morning, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, UAE, Bahrain, Yemen and Libya’s eastern-based government in addition to Maldives cut their ties with Qatar.

Mauritania and Sengal also broke ties with Qatar over Tuesday and Wednesday.
Qatar was also expelled from a Saudi-led coalition fighting in Yemen.

Turkey is building a base in Qatar that will eventually host up to 10,000 troops under an accord in which Turkey pledged to defend the Gulf state.

Turkey and Qatar signed a cooperation protocol in December 2015.

The tiny emirate’s size, 11,571 km2, is almost the size of Hawaii (10,432 km2.) It has a population of 2.6 million, with only about 313,000 Qatari citizens.

The Qatari army recruits about 11,800 personnel only, however, Al-Udeid Air Base houses 10,000 U.S. soldiers at the air base.

Al-Udeid Air Base is a military base southwest of Doha. It hosts Qatari Air Force, U.S. Air Force and other Coalition personnel and assets.

The U.S. Combined Air Operations Center is located in Al-Udeid, providing command to U.S. and allied air troops throughout the region, especially over Syria, Iraq and Afghanistan.

Additional reporting by Hashim al-Fakharany