December 22, 2018 (KHARTOUM) - Qatar’s Emir, Tamim bin Hamad bin Khalifa Al-Thani, has pledged to provide every possible support to enable the Sudanese government to overcome what he described as the “ordeal”, reported the official news agency SUNA

President Omer al-Bashir received by the Emir of Qatar Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani in Doha on 16 June 2016 (QNA Photo)

Since Wednesday, different Sudanese cities witnessed spontaneous demonstrations across the country denouncing the price hikes and demanding removal of the regime of President Omer al-Bashir.

Several protesters were killed and dozens injured by the riot police and the NISS as the government has accused Israeli-recruited opposition elements of triggering the demonstrations.

According to SUNA, al-Bashir on Saturday received a phone call from the Qatari Emir.

During the conversation, the Emir stressed his country’s keenness to maintain Sudan’s security and stability, expressing readiness to provide every possible support to the Sudanese government.

For his part, al-Bashir thanked the Qatari Emir and assured him that the situation in the country is stable, saying the government seeks to address the causes of the current crisis.

It is noteworthy that the Qatari Emir is the first Arab leader to declare his open support to the government of President al-Bashir in the face of popular protests.

Qatar has been one of the few countries where the government of President al-Bashir enjoys relatively warm relations with. For years the rich Arab Gulf state has hosted peace talks between the Sudanese government and Darfur rebel groups which eventually resulted in the signing of the DDPD in 2011.

Last year, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, UAE and Egypt severed ties with Qatar accusing it of supporting Islamist terrorist groups and arch-foe Iran. But Doha vehemently denies the charges.

Sudan is among the Arab states that refused to take part in the ongoing diplomatic crisis and declared its support for the Kuwaiti efforts to settle the rift.

(ST)