First Qatari national crosses into Saudi after deal

ANKARA

The first Qatari national crossed the Salwa border crossing with Saudi Arabia on Saturday, in the first implementation of a reconciliation deal recently signed between Doha and Riyadh.

The crossing was reopened after more than three years of closure after Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Bahrain and Egypt imposed a blockade in 2017.

On Monday, Riyadh agreed to reopen land and sea border to Qatar.

The Saudi Al-Ikhbariya channel aired a footage showing the first Qatari vehicle crossing the Salwa terminal into Saudi Arabia on Saturday.

“We are coming into our second home country,” the Qatari national, who did not identify himself, told the channel. “Your hospitality is making us very happy.”

In 2017, Saudi Arabia and its allies imposed a blockade on Qatar on accusations of supporting terrorism and meddling in their internal affairs. Doha has vehemently denied the allegations, accusing its neighbors of attacking its sovereignty.

On Tuesday, the Saudi-led bloc signed a deal with Qatar to end their feud during the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) summit in the Saudi city of al-Ula.

*Ibrahim Mukhtar contributed to this report from Ankara