Egypt has given the Qatari ambassador in Cairo, Seyf Bin Mukaddem Al-Bu Ayneyn 48 hours to leave the country and has recalled its senior representative in Doha, the foreign ministry said on Monday.

“The Qatari ambassador was summoned today and given formal notification of the expiry of his accreditation as an ambassador to Egypt, and was given 48 hours to leave the country,” a statement from the foreign ministry said.

In a related development, Qatar has asked its citizens to leave the United Arab Emirates within 14 days to comply with a decision by Abu Dhabi to sever ties with Doha, the Qatari embassy in Abu Dhabi said on social media.

“Qatari citizens must leave the UAE within 14 days, in accordance with the statement issued by the concerned Emirati parties,” the embassy tweeted.

The ministry added that those who cannot travel directly to Doha should go through Kuwait or Oman.

Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates as well as Egypt on Monday cut diplomatic ties with Qatar and kicked it out of a military coalition, in the region’s most serious diplomatic crisis in years.

Source: AFP