Middle East

Top US diplomat heads to Qatar, hoping to help end Gulf rift

US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson has departed for Qatar as he tries to mediate a dispute between the energy-rich country and a quartet of Arab nations.

Tillerson left Kuwait City and was due to arrive in the Qatari capital, Doha, before noon on Tuesday.

He has held talks Kuwait’s ruling emir, Sheikh Sabah Al Ahmed Al Sabah, after arriving in Kuwait on Monday.

Sheikh Sabah has been acting as a mediator between Qatar and four states lined up against it: Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates and Egypt.

The quartet broke off relations and cut air, sea and land routes to Qatar in early June. They accuse it of supporting extremist groups, something Qatar denies, and meddling in their affairs.

Related Articles

Back to top button