US, UK Urge Citizens In Qatar To Stay Indoors

The United States and the United Kingdom have both advised their nationals in Qatar to “shelter in place until further notice”.

According to an online update from the US Embassy, this advice was given “out of an abundance of caution”. Meanwhile, UK officials explained that their warning followed the US advisory.

These alerts were issued shortly after the US State Department advised Americans worldwide to “exercise increased caution,” in the wake of the recent American airstrikes on three Iranian nuclear facilities on Saturday. Iran has since vowed to respond.

Qatar’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs responded by confirming that various nations were asking their citizens to take precautions. However, the ministry stressed that this embassy advice “does not necessarily reflect the existence of specific threats”.

“The security situation in the country is stable,” the statement said, adding that “the relevant authorities are closely monitoring the situation and are ready to take all necessary measures to ensure the safety of citizens, residents, and visitors”.

Qatar hosts the Al Udeid Air Base the largest US military facility in the region. The State Department estimates that around 8,000 American nationals currently reside there.

Roughly 40,000 US military personnel are deployed throughout the Middle East.

Following the embassy’s message, various institutions in Qatar including several universities also issued notices urging students and staff to remain at home.

The State Department describes ties between the US and Qatar as “strong”, noting the Gulf nation’s financial, political, and military involvement in addressing ongoing regional conflicts.