HE the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of State for Defence Affairs Dr Khalid bin Mohamed al-Attiyah met with Minister of Defence of the Italian Republic Roberta Pinotti. During the meeting, they discussed bilateral relations of mutual interest and means of strengthening and developing them, as well as common experiences in the field of training. A number of senior officers of the Armed Forces attended the meeting.
Defence
Minister meets Somali Army
Chief of Staff
HE the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of State for Defence Affairs Dr Khalid bin Mohamed al-Attiyah met with Somali Chief of Defence Forces Major General Abdiweli Jama Hussein. During the meeting, they discussed bilateral relations and means of enhancing and developing them.
Qatar to receive first batch of
Rafale aircraft next year
Commander of the Emiri Air Force, Major General (Pilot) Mubarak bin Mohamed al-Kumait al-Khayarin has revealed that the State of Qatar will receive the first batch of Rafale aircraft next year. Speaking on the sidelines of Dimdex 2018, the Commander of the Qatari Air Force praised the developments within the armed forces by supplying them with the latest military equipment in the world, pointing out that the Emiri Air Force has contracted with the Republic of Italy to buy 28 helicopters NH90.
He added that these NH90 aircraft will contribute significantly to enhancing the capabilities and efficiency of the Air Force by owning a fleet of the best and newest in the world. He explained that these aircraft will be distributed to the ground support of the ground forces and special forces, operations, in addition to the maritime support.
He said the aircraft were anti-warships and submarines, the only aircraft in the region capable of tracking and dealing with submarines, as a true addition to national security. He stressed that the helicopters NH90 agreement was an integrated one indicating that it includes items for training and logistical support, spare parts, and all details related to the aircraft, and will be received in the near future.
Qatari-owned herds still trapped in Saudi Arabia
The Compensation Claims Committee has received new claims from Qataris owners who were unable to bring back their camels from Saudi Arabia due to the high expenses involved.
Local Arabic daily Arrayah reported that the committee has already received 997 related complaints from Qatari owners who had to leave their herds behind in Saudi Arabia when the Gulf crisis broke out on June 5, 2017. While some were able to get their herds back by incurring a high cost, others could not afford the same. The livestock wealth owned by Qataris in Saudi Arabia is estimated at 23,000 camels and sheep, in addition to the 20,000 heads that were returned to Qatar after the crisis began.
The number of foreign workers employed at the farms of Qataris in Saudi Arabia came to 500, with most of them being deported to their countries as their Qatari sponsors were unable to renew their residency permits.
Abdulhadi al-Marri, owner of a livestock herd in Saudi Arabia, who recently approached the committee for help, said that he still has property in that country, including a farm, vehicles and equipment in addition to many camels and some sheep. Since the bank accounts of Qataris were frozen in the Saudi banks, he was unable to pay his workers and could not even get his herd back through Kuwait as the cost exceeds QR500,000.
He further estimated that around 70% of the Qatari-owned herds are still trapped in Saudi Arabia in addition to the herds that perished there.
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