uae welcomes release of qatari and saudi hunting party after hostage ordeal in iraq
Last Updated : GMT 06:49:16
Arab Today, arab today
Arab Today, arab today
Last Updated : GMT 06:49:16
Arab Today, arab today

UAE welcomes release of Qatari and Saudi hunting party after hostage ordeal in Iraq

Arab Today, arab today

Arab Today, arab today UAE welcomes release of Qatari and Saudi hunting party after hostage ordeal in Iraq

Qatar's Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, second left in front row
Abu Dhabi - Arab Today

The UAE on Saturday welcomed the release of a mainly Qatari hunting party freed after a 16-month hostage ordeal in Iraq, saying such terrorism "feeds on chaos and instability".
"The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation congratulates the brotherly state of Qatar and expresses relief that their ordeal is over," Dr Anwar bin Mohammed Gargash, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs said, according to UAE state news agency Wam.
He expressed appreciation for the role played by Iraqi prime minister Haider Al Abadi and the wider Iraqi government in securing the release of the 26 hunters, who were flown to Doha on Friday after being handed to Iraqi authorities.
Saudi media reported on Saturday that two Saudi citizens were among the party, which was previously thought to have only been made up of Qataris.
The Jeddah-based newspaper Okaz named the two Saudis as Salem bin Abdulhadi Al Merri and Mohammed Abdullah Al Merri and said they were expected to be flown home to the kingdom on Saturday.
The official Saudi Press Agency also began referring to the hunting party as "Qatari and Saudi" on Saturday but did not give further details.
The hunting party, which is believed to have included one or more prominent members of the Qatari royal family, were kidnapped in southern Iraq in December 2015.
There was never any formal claim of responsibility but the abduction was widely linked to Shiite militias with ties to Tehran.
Several people with knowledge of the talks and a person involved in the negotiations said the hostage deal was linked to one of the largest population transfers in Syria’s six-year-long civil war, a deal that Qatar co-sponsored with regime ally Iran late last month. The hostages’ release was delayed for several days due to an explosion a week ago that killed at least 130 people waiting to be transferred, most of them children and government supporters
The transfer of thousands of Syrian civilians was also tied to another deal involving 750 political prisoners to be released by the Syrian government.
The complexity of the talks highlights Qatar’s role as an experienced and shrewd facilitator in hostage negotiations.
It also raised allegations that the country paid millions of dollars to an Al Qaeda-linked group to facilitate the population transfer in Syria that led to the hostages’ release in Iraq on Friday.
Qatar is home to Centcom’s regional headquarters and the largest US military base in the Middle East. It is also a member of the US-led coalition fighting ISIL in Iraq and Syria.

Source: The National

arabstoday
arabstoday

Name *

E-mail *

Comment Title*

Comment *

: Characters Left

Mandatory *

Terms of use

Publishing Terms: Not to offend the author, or to persons or sanctities or attacking religions or divine self. And stay away from sectarian and racial incitement and insults.

I agree with the Terms of Use

Security Code*

uae welcomes release of qatari and saudi hunting party after hostage ordeal in iraq uae welcomes release of qatari and saudi hunting party after hostage ordeal in iraq

 



Name *

E-mail *

Comment Title*

Comment *

: Characters Left

Mandatory *

Terms of use

Publishing Terms: Not to offend the author, or to persons or sanctities or attacking religions or divine self. And stay away from sectarian and racial incitement and insults.

I agree with the Terms of Use

Security Code*

uae welcomes release of qatari and saudi hunting party after hostage ordeal in iraq uae welcomes release of qatari and saudi hunting party after hostage ordeal in iraq

 



GMT 12:47 2017 Saturday ,08 July

35 migrants feared drowned off Libya: coastguard

GMT 16:47 2017 Wednesday ,29 March

Asala feels more nostalgic for Syria

GMT 15:01 2012 Saturday ,13 October

10-girl Ghana edge Germany for bronze

GMT 01:35 2017 Wednesday ,06 December

HRH Premier: Investing in education is priority

GMT 10:45 2012 Sunday ,20 May

Sherine sings for red lines

GMT 18:02 2017 Friday ,10 February

Riyadh Metro on track, says builder

GMT 18:59 2016 Tuesday ,27 December

One hundred new shops open

GMT 04:22 2016 Thursday ,29 September

Tadawul index falls sharply for 2nd day

GMT 19:33 2014 Friday ,03 January

Militants gunned down religious leader in Pakistan

GMT 14:24 2014 Tuesday ,13 May

Colorful family home in Taiwan

GMT 15:20 2016 Friday ,12 February

Lagarde set for second term

GMT 01:23 2017 Saturday ,23 December

Washington, Ottawa clash

GMT 03:20 2017 Saturday ,16 December

Modern-day slavery haunts 46m worldwide

GMT 06:59 2017 Wednesday ,13 December

Australia's Castle shatters rugby union glass ceiling

GMT 09:08 2011 Saturday ,21 May

Women who made their own path honoured

GMT 00:14 2017 Wednesday ,06 September

Partly cloudy with slight drop in temperatures
Arab Today, arab today
 
 Arab Today Facebook,arab today facebook  Arab Today Twitter,arab today twitter Arab Today Rss,arab today rss  Arab Today Youtube,arab today youtube  Arab Today Youtube,arab today youtube

Maintained and developed by Arabs Today Group SAL.
All rights reserved to Arab Today Media Group 2025 ©

Maintained and developed by Arabs Today Group SAL.
All rights reserved to Arab Today Media Group 2025 ©

arabstoday arabstoday arabstoday arabstoday
arabstoday arabstoday arabstoday
arabstoday
بناية النخيل - رأس النبع _ خلف السفارة الفرنسية _بيروت - لبنان
arabstoday, Arabstoday, Arabstoday