Qatar boycotted by Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Bahrain

Saudi Arabia (the United Arab Emirates), Egypt and Bahrain have decided to back off from all the diplomatic relations as well as all land sea and air contacts with fellow Gulf Arab state Qatar on Monday.

According to sources Saudi Arabia said, “the move was necessary to protect the kingdom from what it described as terrorism and extremism.”

All the Qatari troops are being pulled out by the kingdom from the ongoing war in Yemen.

The official state news agency, citing an official source, said, “Saudi Arabia had decided to sever diplomatic & consular relations over land, sea, and air with Qatar and urges all brotherly countries and companies to do the same.”

Bahrain’s foreign affairs ministry issued a statement early Monday saying it would withdraw its diplomatic mission from the Qatari capital of Doha within 48 hours and that all Qatari diplomats should leave Bahrain within the same period.

The ministry’s statement said Qatari citizens needed to leave Bahrain within two weeks and that air and sea traffic between the two countries would be halted.

It wasn’t immediately clear how that would affect Qatar Airways.

To support its decision, Bahrain blamed Qatar’s media incitement and country’s support for armed terrorist activities.

The UAE’s state news agency WAM reported the Emirates cut ties and gave diplomats 48 hours to leave the country, citing their “support, funding and embrace of terrorist, extremist and sectarian organisations.”