Qatari mosque opens in Turkish capital

By Ahmet Salih Alacaci

ANKARA (AA) - Several senior Turkish and Qatari officials attended the opening of a 4,500-person-capacity mosque in Turkey’s capital on Friday.

Turkish foreign and defense ministers Mevlut Cavusoglu and Hulusi Akar along with Qatari Ambassador Salem bin Mubarak Al-Shafi and Hamad bin Ali al Attiyah -- former defense minister and current advisor to Emir Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad Al-Thani -- attended the Islamic weekly Friday prayer at Abdullah Bin Ali Al Attiyah Mosque.

The advisor al Attiyah had the mosque built in Ankara, with its construction beginning in November 2016.

The event began with an opening invocation and was followed by Friday prayers.

Turkey and the Gulf state enjoy amicable ties, with Ankara backing Doha in the Gulf crisis that erupted in June 2017 when Saudi Arabia, Egypt, the U.A.E., and Bahrain cut diplomatic and trade ties with Qatar.

The four states accused Qatar of supporting terrorist groups, allegations Doha denies, describing the embargo as a breach of its national sovereignty.