Qatar recalls Cairo ambassador after terrorism claims

Qatar has recalled its ambassador from Cairo after being accused in the Arab League of "supporting terrorism" by voicing concerns over Egypt's unilateral action against Islamic State group sympathisers in Libya.

Qatar's state news agency, QNA, said the decision was made after the Egyptian envoy to the Arab League, Tariq Adel, criticised Qatar's position over Egypt's aitstrikes in Libya following the murder of 21 Egyptian Copts in Sirte.

Qatar voiced reservations over an official Arab League statement hailing the airstrikes, a move which led Adel to accuse Qatar of "supporting terrorism and deviating from Arab consensus".

Qatar's director of Arab affairs in the foreign ministry, Saad bin Ali al-Mohannadi, said that Qatar denounced the statement, which confuses the need to combat terrorism and the brutal killing and burning of civilians.

Reservations expressed by Qatar are in line with the principles of common Arab action.

"Reservations expressed by the state of Qatar are in line with the principles of common Arab action and the need for consultations before any unilateral military action against another member state," he said.

Mohannadi reiterated Qatar's condemnation of the murder of the Egyptians in Libya, but said unilateral action "may harm unarmed civilians".

Members of the Gulf Cooperation Council later backed Qatar's recall of its ambassador.

The GCC's secretary general, Abdullatif al-Zayani, said members rejected "accusations by Egypt's permanent envoy at the Arab League that Qatar supports terrorism".