Qatar evacuates residents near US embassy in Doha

Qatar’s Ministry of Interior announced early Thursday that residents living near the US embassy in the capital, Doha, had been evacuated as a “temporary precautionary measure” to ensure public safety.

In a statement, the ministry said the competent authorities were carrying out the evacuation in the area surrounding the US embassy as part of efforts to safeguard the public, amid heightened security tensions in the Middle East.

It added that alternative accommodation had been provided for those affected, as part of the necessary preventive measures.

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Since 28th February, eight Arab countries — Qatar, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Oman, Jordan and Iraq — have been subjected to Iranian attacks, following the start of military aggression by Israel and the United States against Tehran.

Iran says it is targeting what it describes as “US interests” in countries across the region. However, some of the attacks have resulted in deaths and injuries and caused damage to civilian facilities, including ports and residential buildings.

READ: Qatar, Saudi Arabia condemn Iranian attacks on Oman as ‘unacceptable escalation’