Turkey will send 3,250 security officers to Qatar for the football World Cup that starts in November this year, according to Interior Minister Suleyman Soylu, who added that Ankara has also trained Qatari security personnel ahead of the competition.
Speaking at an event in the southern resort town of Antalya on Tuesday, Soylu said those to be deployed during the tournament include 3,000 riot police officers, 100 Turkish special forces, 50 bomb detection dogs and their operators, 50 bomb experts and other staff.
“A total of 3,250 of our personnel will work temporarily in Qatar in November and December for 45 days for the World Cup,” Soylu said. “At this event, which over a million fans from across the world are expected to attend, our personnel will ensure security.”
Soylu added that Turkey has also trained 677 Qatari security personnel in 38 different professional areas, without elaborating on the specifics.
He also did not specify what would be the share of the Turkish deployment in the event’s overall security staff in the tournament.
Tight bilateral ties
Turkey and Qatar have strengthened ties in recent years, with Ankara backing Doha in its dispute with other Gulf states.
Both sides have frequently cooperated on commercial, military and economic issues.
Ankara has trained Qatari security personnel and holds military forces and a base in the country in line with the agreements it signed with Doha in the last 10 years.
