Türkiye will send soldiers and policemen to bolster security at the World Cup being held in Qatar from next month, APA's correspondent in Istanbul reports.
President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s government on Saturday asked parliament to approve the deployment of an unspecified number of additional troops in Qatar for six months. Turkey already has an army base in Qatar and can deploy roughly 250 personnel there under a 2021 agreement.
The Turkish Armed Forces (TSK) personnel will help secure the tournament, which is expected to attract more than 1 million visitors, against "terrorism" threats, among others, the request letter read.
Helping Qatar – with which Türkiye has an "exceptional cooperation" and "historical, cultural ties" – will help stability in the Gulf region as well, it added.
“In addition to our country, the US, France, the UK, Italy, and Pakistan will contribute to the World Cup Shield Operation with their military elements.”
Under a protocol signed between Türkiye and Qatar and published in Türkiye’s Official Gazette earlier this summer, Ankara will deploy riot police, bomb specialists, and sniffer dogs for the World Cup, which will run between November 21 and December 18.
More than 3,000 Turkish riot police would be deployed to secure the event, according to the Interior Ministry.
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