Saudi Arabia closes only land crossing with Qatar

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Tue, 20 Jun 2017 - 05:02 GMT

BY

Tue, 20 Jun 2017 - 05:02 GMT

A view shows Abu Samra border crossing to Saudi Arabia in Qatar June 12 2017 - REUTERS

A view shows Abu Samra border crossing to Saudi Arabia in Qatar June 12 2017 - REUTERS

CAIRO – 20 June 2017: Saudi Arabia closed As Salwa crossing on Sunday. As Salwa road marks the land border between Saudi Arabia and Qatari. The border crossing has been closed since June 7, and the transfer of goods and passengers to Qatar are banned. Only Qatari citizens are allowed exit, Russia Today reported on Sunday.

“As Salwa is the only border crossing linking Qatari citizens to the external world,” Russia Today reported.

“In the decision to sever diplomatic and consular relations, Saudi citizens are not allowed to travel, stay, or pass through it. Saudi residents and visitors in Qatar must leave within 14 days,” Saudi Arabia said in a statement published by the Saudi official news agency on June 5.

More than 60 percent of construction materials and infrastructure equipment and 40 percent of food imports pass through this gateway, an Al-Arabiya channel correspondent reported on June 6.

He stated that more than 300,000 Qatari citizens used it during the month of January alone. The As Salwa border crossing is located less than two miles from the Saudi state boundary. It is the only legitimate land-based border crossing between the two countries.

In the wake of political turmoil that has cut off Qatar from the rest of the Middle East, transportation companies are looking for new air and sea routes to keep people and products moving, according to The Wall Street Journal on Wednesday.

Many shipping companies that supply Qatar with food, clothing and electronics are wary of accepting cargo traveling to and from Qatar in the wake of the political turmoil. However, Iran has been shipping food to Qatar and allowing Qatari planes to use its airspace, the Wall Street Journal reported.

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