Qatar vows to prevent US attacks from al-Udeid air base
Two U.S. Air Force F-16 Fighting Falcons taxi on the flight line at Prince Sultan Air Base, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia Feb. 26, 2020. As a part of the Triple Nickel out of Aviano Air Base, Italy, these jets will focus on combat and deterrence operations in the area of responsibility. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Giovann Sims)
Qatar’s Prime Minister and Foreign Minister, Mohammed Bin Abdulrahman has assured that his country will not permit any attacks or wars to be launched from the Al-Udeid Air Base against other nations.
The strategic base hosts the largest US military facility in the Middle East, with approximately 13,000 US troops stationed there.
In an interview with state-run Qatar TV, Bin Abdulrahman emphasized, “The State of Qatar does not accept that attacks or wars be launched from Al-Udeid Base against countries in the region or beyond.”
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He also highlighted the nation’s strategic partnership with the United States, characterized by cooperation on multiple levels while respecting each other’s sovereignty.
“The relationship with the United States is a strategic partnership characterized by cooperation on multiple levels while emphasizing that each party enjoys full sovereignty, and neither interferes in the affairs of the other,” Bin Abdulrahman noted.
Tensions in the region remain high, particularly with Iran on high alert in anticipation of an Israeli military response to the October 1 missile attack by Tehran. Iran claimed the attack was in retaliation for the recent assassinations of Hezbollah and Hamas leaders and an Iranian Revolutionary Guards commander.
Regarding efforts to reach a ceasefire deal in the Gaza Strip, Bin Abdulrahman expressed frustration, stating, “For more than a year, we have been mediating in the Gaza file, but, unfortunately, the agreement requires two parties.”
Qatar’s diplomatic efforts aim to resolve the ongoing conflict, but progress remains elusive.
