US Ambassador to Qatar Dana Shell Smith says she is stepping down amid a deepening rift among Washington’s Persian Gulf Arab allies.

“This month, I end my 3 years as US Ambassador to #Qatar. It has been the greatest honor of my life and I’ll miss this great country,” Smith tweeted on Tuesday.

The US ambassador did not explain why she was resigning, who would replace her and if she was staying within the diplomatic service. US ambassadorships typically last three years.

A source close to Smith told CNN that she will also conclude her 25-year career in the foreign service once her post in Doha ends.

Smith was appointed as the US envoy to Qatar in 2014 by then US president Barack Obama.

She made headlines in May by expressing her dissatisfaction with political events back home under the administration of US President Donald Trump.

The US ambassador’s departure comes days after Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Egypt and the United Arab Emirates cut their diplomatic and transport ties with Qatar, accusing Doha of destabilizing the region with its support for terrorism, an allegation rejected by the Qatari government.

Source: Websites