Seven countries cut ties with Qatar for 'supporting terrorism'
Hours later, state media in Yemen also confirmed that the country’s government was cutting its ties with Doha. As of Monday afternoon, the governments of Lybia and Maldives also officially announced that they are severing diplomatic ties with Qatar.
Seven countries cut ties with Qatar
In a statement carried by Bahrain's state news agency, the Gulf Arab state said it was severing contact with Qatar on the grounds that it had been meddling in its internal affairs. It also accused Doha of supporting terrorism and "financing armed groups associated with Iran to carry out subversive attacks and spread chaos" in Bahrain.
Saudi Arabia likewise announced the severance of relations with Qatar in its state media, saying the decision was made for protection of its national security.
Egypt joined the two countries, accusing Qatar of supporting "terrorist" organizations including the Muslim Brotherhood.
The UAE followed the three others, giving Qatari diplomats 48 hours to leave due to their country's "support, funding and embrace of terrorist, extremist and sectarian organizations."
At the time of publishing, Libya's government followed its regional allies in severing diplomatic ties with Qatar, according to its Foreign Minister Mohamed Dayri. The government of the Maldives has also confirmed that it is severing ties with Qatar, reiterating its commitment to working with countries “that promote peace, stability, and show solidarity in the fight against terrorism.”
What happens now?
Bahrain has banned all its citizens from traveling to Qatar or staying there. Qatari citizens are not allowed to enter or transit through Bahrain. "Qatari residents and visitors are therefore given 14 days to leave the Kingdom in order to avoid any hostile attempts or activities that may exploit the situation, despite our pride and confidence in our brethren among the Qatari people and their love for their second country," read the Bahrain statement.
Saudi and the UAE have also given Qatari citizens two weeks to leave.
Transportation services have been affected by the cutting of diplomatic ties. Abu Dhabi's state-owned Etihad Airways, the second-largest airline of the UAE after Emirates, said it would suspend all flights to and from Doha starting from Tuesday morning.
CGTN reporters in the UAE found people have no access to the Qatar-based TV channel Al Jazeera. The official website and app have been blocked in the region.
Reactions:
Qatar's Foreign Ministry said it regrets the Arab countries' "unjustified decision to cut ties," and the measures by some gulf states and Egypt aimed at imposing guardianship on Qatar.
A senior Iranian official said on Monday the decision by some Gulf Arab states and Egypt to sever diplomatic ties with Qatar would not help end the crisis in the Middle East.
Pakistan's Foreign Ministry also replied by saying that Pakistan has no plans to cut diplomatic ties with Qatar.
What led to the diplomatic incident?
Despite denials, local media from other Gulf states refused to accept Qatar's explanation, accusing it of backing Tehran.
About Qatar
Qatar is located on the northeastern coast of the Arabian Peninsula, sharing a border with Saudi Arabia to the south as well as maritime borders with Bahrain and the UAE and Iran.
In 2014, its relations with Bahrain, Saudi Arabia and the UAE worsened due to Doha's support for the Muslim Brotherhood, a transnational Sunni Islamist organization founded in Egypt. The three countries withdrew their ambassadors from Qatar until the Gulf Cooperation Council announced the return of their diplomats in the same year.