New Turkish Military Base in Qatar Set to Be Inaugurated in Autumn

Turkey's President Erdogan reviews Turkish troops during his visit at the Qatari-Turkish Armed Forces Land Command Base in Doha, Qatar, on November 15, 2017. (Reuters)
Turkey's President Erdogan reviews Turkish troops during his visit at the Qatari-Turkish Armed Forces Land Command Base in Doha, Qatar, on November 15, 2017. (Reuters)
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New Turkish Military Base in Qatar Set to Be Inaugurated in Autumn

Turkey's President Erdogan reviews Turkish troops during his visit at the Qatari-Turkish Armed Forces Land Command Base in Doha, Qatar, on November 15, 2017. (Reuters)
Turkey's President Erdogan reviews Turkish troops during his visit at the Qatari-Turkish Armed Forces Land Command Base in Doha, Qatar, on November 15, 2017. (Reuters)

A new Turkish military base will be inaugurated in Qatar in autumn, revealed Hurriyet daily news Wednesday.

Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al Thani and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan are expected to attend the opening ceremony.

The writer of the report, Hande Firat traveled to Doha to visit the Tariq bin Ziyad base where Turkish soldiers have been deployed since October 2015.

The military base in Qatar is getting bigger. A new base has been built near the Tariq bin Ziyad military base, said Hurriyet.

The number of soldiers will increase, added Fande without disclosing their numbers out of consideration of “Turkey’s interests and security”.

“I can say that it will reach a drastic figure. Qatar also attaches a great deal of importance to this military base,” she revealed.

Turkish soldiers were deployed to the said military base in October 2015. Ankara and Doha formed a higher strategic committee that same year in order to bolster their relations.

Qatar had also resorted to Turkish security support after the 2017 economic and diplomatic boycott by Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Egypt.

Ankara has since boosted its presence at the Qatari base that can host some 3,000 soldiers.



Al-Budaiwi: Unified GCC Tourism Visa Coming Soon

Jassem Al-Budaiwi meets with the participates of the 39th meeting of heads of GCC Interior Ministries' passport departments. Photo: GCC Secretariat
Jassem Al-Budaiwi meets with the participates of the 39th meeting of heads of GCC Interior Ministries' passport departments. Photo: GCC Secretariat
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Al-Budaiwi: Unified GCC Tourism Visa Coming Soon

Jassem Al-Budaiwi meets with the participates of the 39th meeting of heads of GCC Interior Ministries' passport departments. Photo: GCC Secretariat
Jassem Al-Budaiwi meets with the participates of the 39th meeting of heads of GCC Interior Ministries' passport departments. Photo: GCC Secretariat

The unified GCC tourism visa (for non-Gulf countries' residents) will be launched soon, Secretary General Jassem Al-Budaiwi said this week.

Al-Budaiwi - during the 39th meeting of heads of GCC Interior Ministries' passport departments - expressed gratitude to all efforts to realize the unified tourism visa, the GCC Secretariat said in a statement on Wednesday.

He indicated that the measures would help realize the visions of the Gulf leaderships, adding that involved parties were keen on keeping up with the latest technologies, as well as growing and rapid global security demands.