Turkey and Qatar sign mutual defence agreement

Turkey and Qatar have signed a mutual defence agreement in Istanbul on Friday, in what is the latest military pact between Ankara and other Muslim states.

The defence agreement was one of five agreed to between Turkey and Qatar as President Recep Tayyip Erdogan hosted the Emir of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani.

A statement by the Turkish president's office said that Friday's mutual defence agreement with Qatar "would add another dimension to our brotherhood"

Erdogan said Turkey and Qatar’s cooperation in the defense industry would continue to grow, according to the statement.

Turkey and Qatar have had several defence agrements since 2017, including the hosting of Turkish troops in Doha, but the new deal obliged both countries to come to the other's defence.