Qatar complains to UN over air, sea territorial violations

Doha, March 11 (IANS) Qatar has filed a complaint with the UN Security Council over the violations of the country's air and sea spaces by the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Bahrain, local media reported on Sunday.

The Permanent Representative of Qatar to the UN Sheikha Alya Ahmed Bin Saif Al-Thani handed over the complaint to UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, the Qatar News Agency (QNA) reported on Sunday.

According to a Foreign Affairs Ministry statement, a UAE military aircraft on January 14 overflew Qatari territorial waters without permission from the authorities in Doha.

On February 25, another aircraft approached the Qatari border before changing course after warnings were issued, reports Xinhua news agency.

Subsequently, a Bahraini military aircraft on February 28 also overflew the exclusive economic zone of Qatar.

The complaint also said that on January 19, Qatari maritime surveillance saw a UAE naval ship unload a boat into the Qatar economic zone.

The Qatar government warned against the continued violation attempts by UAE and Bahrain that would increase tension in the region, the complaint said.

The UAE and Bahrain along with Saudi Arabia and Egypt severed diplomatic ties with Qatar in June 2017, accusing Doha of supporting "extremism and terrorism".

The blockading countries also imposed transport and trade sanctions by air, land and sea.