Turkish troops arrive in Qatar for long-planned drills: Report

DOHA – Reuters

Turkish troops have arrived in Qatar for long-planned joint military exercises, Al Jazeera reported on June 19, a deployment made possible by legislation fast-tracked by Ankara following a diplomatic rift between Doha and four other Arab states.

The channel posted a video on its website of a column of armored personnel carriers moving through streets. It said the troops arrived on June 18.

Turkey’s parliament on June 7 fast-tracked legislation to allow troops to be deployed to a military base in Qatar, two days after Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Egypt cut ties with Doha in the worst diplomatic crisis in the region in years. 

Turkey has a military base in Qatar that currently houses about 90 Turkish soldiers.

The Turkish forces conducted their first training at Tariq bin Ziyad military base on June 18, Al Jazeera said, citing a ministry, saying the drills had been long planned.