Blockading States Expand Qatar ‘Terror’ Blacklist

The four states blockading Qatar have added a series of new organizations to their anti-Qatar “terror” blacklist, a list they established earlier in the blockade to try to “prove” Qatar was in league with terrorists, despite many of the organizations having little to no actual ties with Qatar’s government.

Following that model, the new list also includes mostly non-Qatari groups, instead going after Yemeni charities seen as supporting the wrong side in the Saudi War in Yemen, and Libyan media outlets that are seen as not supporting the four states’ agenda.

Among those individuals targeted, only three were actually Qatari citizens in the first place, with the rest mostly Yemenis and Libyans who were accused of supporting Syrian Islamist factions. This focus on Libya in particular reflects the split between Qatar and the other states on Libya policy.

The Egypt junta and the other blockading states support Libya’s Gen. Khalifa Hafter, who launched a failed coup and continues to control territory in the country’s east, while Qatar supports the Misrata militia and the unity government, which are also supported by the US.