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Arab solidarity with Tunisia over attempt to poison president

January 30, 2021 at 11:42 am

Qatar’s Emir Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad Al-Thani in Doha, Qatar on 8 December 2019 [Qatar Emirate Council/Anadolu Agency]

Emir of Qatar Tamim Bin Hamad Al-Thani expressed his solidarity with Tunisian President Kais Saied following his poisoning attempt.

The Tunisian presidency stated on its Facebook page that President Kais Saied received a call on Thursday from: “The emir of the State of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad Al-Thani, who expressed his full solidarity with Tunisia and its president following the poisoning attempt against the president of the republic.”

The statement indicated that the Tunisian president, in turn, expressed his: “Deep gratitude to his brother, His Highness Emir of the State of Qatar and reassured him about his health.”

The Tunisian president also received a phone call from Fayez Al-Sarraj, head of the Presidential  Council in the Libyan Government of National Accord (GNA), expressing his: “Solidarity with Tunisia and its people following the poisoning attempt against the president of the republic.”

According to the Tunisian presidency statement, the Tunisian president responded with: “We thank Mr Fayez Al-Sarraj infinitely for his thoughtful wishes.”

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During the call, Saied referred to the “common ties between Tunisia and Libya”. He stressed the importance of: “Achieving the desired cooperation between the two countries at all levels and the need to achieve security and stability in the entire region to serve the interests of the two brotherly peoples and fulfil their aspirations for a better common future.”

The Presidency of the Tunisian Republic announced receiving last Monday an empty envelope, and stated that as soon as the Director of the Presidential Court opened it: “She felt sick and dizzy and lost her sight partially while experiencing a throbbing headache.”

It was also reported that: “One of the employees in the Presidential Court secretariat was present at the time of the incident and felt the same symptoms, only milder. The envelope was tossed in a paper shredder before deciding to hand it over to the Ministry of Interior.”

The Tunisian presidency added: “The nature of the substance that was in the envelope has not been determined to date.”