Qatar row: Five countries cut links with Doha

Image copyright Getty Images Image caption Qatar's government said it believed the move was "unjustified"

Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates and Yemen have cut diplomatic ties with Qatar, accusing it of destabilising the region.

They say Qatar backs militant groups including so-called Islamic State (IS) and al-Qaeda, which Qatar has denied.

The Saudi state news agency SPA said Riyadh had closed its borders, severing land, sea and air contact with the tiny peninsula of Qatar.

Qatar called the decision "unjustified" and with "no basis in fact".

The unprecedented move is being seen as a significant split between powerful Gulf countries, who are also close US allies.

It comes in the context of increased tensions between Gulf countries and their near-neighbour Iran. The Saudi statement accused Qatar of collaborating with Iranian-backed militias.

The diplomatic withdrawal was put into motion by Bahrain then Saudi Arabia early on Monday. Their allies swiftly followed.

SPA cited officials as saying the decision was taken to "protect its national security from the dangers of terrorism and extremism".

The three Gulf countries have given Qatari nationals two weeks to leave their territory.

The UAE has given Qatari diplomats 48 hours to leave the country. Abu Dhabi accuses Qatar of "supporting, funding and embracing terrorism, extremism and sectarian organisations," state news agency WAM said

has given Qatari diplomats 48 hours to leave the country. Abu Dhabi accuses Qatar of "supporting, funding and embracing terrorism, extremism and sectarian organisations," state news agency WAM said UAE airlines Etihad Airways, Emirates and Flydubai said they would suspend all flights to and from Qatari capital Doha from early Tuesday, local time

Airways, and said they would suspend all flights to and from Qatari capital Doha from early Tuesday, local time The Gulf allies said they had closed their airspace to Qatar Airways

Bahrain 's state news agency said it was cutting its ties because Qatar was "shaking the security and stability of Bahrain and meddling in its affairs"

's state news agency said it was cutting its ties because Qatar was "shaking the security and stability of Bahrain and meddling in its affairs" The Saudi-led Arab coalition fighting Yemen's Houthi rebels also expelled Qatar from its alliance because of its "practices that strengthen terrorism" and its support to groups "including al-Qaeda and Daesh [IS], as well as dealing with the rebel militias", according to SPA.

Food, flights and football at risk

All you need to know about Qatar

Image copyright EPA Image caption US President Trump met Egyptian President Sisi and Saudi King Salman in Saudi Arabia two weeks ago

While the severing of ties with Qatar was sudden, it has not come out of the blue, as tensions have been building for years, and particularly in recent weeks.

Two weeks ago, the same four countries blocked Qatari news sites, including Al Jazeera. Controversial comments purportedly by Qatari emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani criticising Saudi Arabia appeared on Qatari state media.

The government in Doha dismissed the comments as fake, attributing the report to a "shameful cybercrime".

Back in 2014, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and the UAE withdrew their ambassadors from Qatar for several months in protest over alleged interference in their affairs.

Qatar says news agency was hacked

More broadly, there are two key factors driving Monday's decision: Qatar's ties to Islamist groups, and the role of Iran, Saudi Arabia's regional rival.

While Qatar has joined the US coalition against IS, the Qatari government has been forced to repeatedly deny accusations from Iraq's Shia leaders that it provided financial support to IS.

However, wealthy individuals in the emirate are believed to have made donations and the government has given money and weapons to hardline Islamist groups in Syria. Qatar is also accused of having links to a group formerly known as the Nusra Front, an al-Qaeda affiliate.

The SPA statement accused Qatar of backing these groups, as well as the widely-outlawed Muslim Brotherhood, and that it "promotes the message and schemes of these groups through their media constantly".

Where key countries stand on IS

Where does IS get its support?

Saudi Arabia, a Sunni majority country, also accused Qatar of backing Shia militants in Bahrain and in the eastern Saudi province of Qatif. Qatar has repeatedly denied ties to Iran in the past.

While on a visit to Riyadh two weeks ago, the US President Donald Trump urged Muslim countries to take the lead in combating radicalisation, and blamed Iran for instability in the Middle East.

The State of Qatar Capital: Doha Population 2.7 million

Area 11,437 sq km (4,416 sq miles)

Life expectancy 79 years (men), 78 years (women)

Saudi Arabia has also been accused of funding IS, either directly or by failing to prevent private donors from sending money to the group - allegations it denies.

In recent days, British Prime Minister Theresa May has also come under pressure from election rivals to publish a report thought to focus on the funding of UK extremist groups by Saudi Arabia.

Is Saudi to blame for IS?

Qatar, which is due to host the football World Cup in 2022, was critical of the decision, in comments broadcast on Al Jazeera.

"The measures are unjustified and are based on claims and allegations that have no basis in fact," Al Jazeera quoted the foreign ministry as saying. It said the decisions would "not affect the normal lives of citizens and residents".

US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, speaking in Sydney, urged the countries to resolve their differences through dialogue.

"I do not expect that this will have any significant impact, if any impact at all, on the unified fight against terrorism in the region or globally," he added.

Qatar's stock market plunged in early trading on Monday.

One of the likely knock-on effects is on food stability: every day, hundreds of lorries cross the Saudi-Qatari border, and food is one of the main supplies. About 40% of Qatar's food is believed to come via this route.

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