Page 10 - ARUBA TODAY

A10 WORLD NEWS
Monday 15 January 2018

Qatar exile says he’s held by UAE; Abu Dhabi denies claim

By JON GAMBRELL aired by Doha-based news
Associated Press network Al-Jazeera, shows
DUBAI, United Arab Emir- Sheikh Abdullah saying he
ates (AP) — An exiled Qa- was invited to Abu Dhabi
tari ruling family member as a guest of “Sheikh Mo-
once promoted by Saudi hammed.” Sheikh Abdul-
Arabia amid its ongoing lah appears to refer to Abu
dispute with Doha ap- Dhabi’s powerful crown
peared in an online video prince, Sheikh Mohammed
Sunday claiming he’s be- bin Zayed Al Nahyan, who
ing held against his will in enjoys strong ties to Saudi
the United Arab Emirates, Arabia’s rulers.
an allegation denied by “I am a guest of Sheikh Mo-
Abu Dhabi. hammed but it is not host-
The video of Sheikh Abdul- ing now, it is now an impris-
lah bin Ali Al Thani, a little- onment,” Sheikh Abdullah
known ruling family mem- says. “They told me not
ber until the boycott of to leave and I am afraid
Qatar by four Arab nations, something will happen to
offered new fuel to the me and they blame Qa-
monthslong stalemated cri- tar.”
sis. It immediately recalled He adds: “I just wanted to
the bizarre, now-reversed let you know that Qatar is
resignation of Lebanese In this Aug. 17, 2017 photo, released by the state-run Saudi Press Agency, Saudi King Salman, innocent in this and I am
Prime Minister Saad Hariri left, walks with Qatari Sheikh Abdullah bin Ali Al Thani, right, at the monarch’s vacation home in being hosted by Sheikh
while on a trip Riyadh, a Tangiers, Morocco. Mohammed and anything
Nov. 4 decision that was (Saudi Press Agency via AP) that happens to me after
widely perceived as Saudi- The UAE’s state-run WAM Sheikh Abdullah had freely quest.” this is under his responsibil-
orchestrated at the time. news agency later said left the country “at his re- The video, immediately ity.”
The UAE, one of four coun-
IS group offshoot claims 2017 Niger attack on US tries boycotting Qatar,
denied the claim. Authori-
ties pointed to a series of
DAKAR, Senegal (AP) — filiate before, according to to release details about the special operations forces tweets by Ali Rashid al-Nu-
An Islamic State group off- the SITE Intelligence Group, commando team’s exact have been working with Ni- aimi, who heads Abu Dha-
shoot is claiming it carried which monitors jihadist mission. U.S. officials have ger’s forces in a growing ef- bi’s Hedayah counter-ex-
out the October attack in websites. The U.S. Africa said the joint U.S.-Niger fort in recent years, helping tremism center. Al-Nuaimi
Niger that killed four U.S. Command has been inves- patrol had been asked to them to improve their abili- said that Sheikh Abdullah
soldiers and four Nigerien tigating the attack, which assist a second American ties to fight extremists. had asked to move to the
troops and sparked ques- also wounded two U.S. and commando team hunting Multiple military efforts ex- Emirates for his “safety.”
tions about U.S. military in- eight Nigerien troops. A fi- for a senior Islamic State ist against extremist groups, “A trusted source con-
volvement in West Africa’s nal report is expected to group member. The team including Boko Haram and firmed to me that Sheikh
vast Sahel region. be released this month. had been asked to go to al-Qaida affiliates, that Abdullah bin Ali Al Thani
The Mauritanian Nouak- A 12-member Army special a location where the insur- roam the vast Sahel, the is free to leave the UAE
chott News Agency report- forces unit was accompa- gent had last been seen. sprawling, largely barren for any destination he
ed Friday that Abu al-Walid nying 30 Nigerien forces After completing that mis- zone south of the Sahara chooses and he can leave
al-Sahrawi with the self-pro- when they were attacked sion, the troops stopped in desert. The growing fight whenever he likes,” al-Nu-
fessed IS affiliate claimed in a densely wooded area a village to get food and includes France’s largest aimi wrote on Twitter, with-
responsibility for the Oct. by as many as 50 militants water, then left. The U.S. overseas military operation, out elaborating.
4 ambush about 120 miles traveling by vehicle and military believes someone a United Nations peace- The report on the WAM
(200 kilometers) north of carrying small arms and in the village may have keeping mission in Mali and news agency said Sheikh
Niger’s capital, Niamey. rocket-propelled grenade tipped off the attackers. a five-nation regional force Abdullah was “free in his
The news agency has car- launchers. The U.S. has approximately called the G5 Sahel that movements” while in the
ried messages from the af- The Pentagon has declined 800 troops in Niger, and U.S. launched last year. q UAE.q