US Diplomat To Explore Global Strategy Against IS During Qatar Visit - State Dept.

US Diplomat to Explore Global Strategy Against IS During Qatar Visit - State Dept.

US Counterterrorism Coordinator Nathan Sales is traveling to Qatar to discuss that country's contributions to the global campaign against the Islamic State terror group (banned in Russia) among other topics, the State Department said in a press release on Wednesday

WASHINGTON (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 12th August, 2020) US Counterterrorism Coordinator Nathan Sales is traveling to Qatar to discuss that country's contributions to the global campaign against the Islamic State terror group (banned in Russia) among other topics, the State Department said in a press release on Wednesday.

"Ambassador Sales will meet with Attorney General Ali Bin Fetais al-Marri and other senior government officials to discuss Qatar's role as a strong partner in combating the financing of terrorism, including implementation of its new Anti-Money Laundering/Countering the Financing of Terrorism (AML/CFT) legislation," the release said. "Ambassador Sales will also discuss Qatar's active participation in the Global Coalition to Defeat ISIS [Islamic State]."

Qatar is one of the United States' closest military allies in the region, citing the nation's Al-Udeid Air Base as home to the Combined Air Operation Center, which hosts 18 nations and is responsible for all Coalition's air operations in the Middle East and Central Asia, the release noted.

More than 8,000 US military personnel are housed at Al-Udeid Air Base, and another 200,000 transit the base annually, according to the release.

Three years ago, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Egypt cut diplomatic and trade ties with Doha, accusing Qatar of being too close to Iran and soft on terrorism.

The release made no mention of the schism, which the US has tried to mend, without success thus far.