Qatari, Turkish defense heads to meet amid Gulf crisis

By Sarp Ozer

ANKARA (AA) - Turkish and Qatari defense ministers will meet in Ankara on Friday amid the ongoing Gulf crisis, ministry sources said Thursday.

The meeting between Qatari Defense Minister Khalid bin Mohammed el-Atiye and Turkish Defense Minister Fikri Isik will take place in the defense ministry, according to sources who cannot be named due to restrictions on speaking to the media.

The meeting comes amid an ongoing crisis in the Gulf region, where several Arab states -- including Saudi Arabia, Egypt, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Yemen -- have imposed a diplomatic and economic blockade on Qatar, which they accuse of supporting terrorism.

Turkey has vowed to stand by Qatar and called on Saudi Arabia to end all sanctions.

Earlier in June, Turkey’s parliament ratified two deals on deploying troops to Qatar and training its army.

Aid, including a ship carrying 4,000 tons of food, for beleaguered Qatar left Turkey last week.

So far, 105 cargo planes from Turkey have carried aid to Qatar, Turkish Economy Minister Nihat Zeybekci said.