Qatar will not hesitate to provide the necessary support to Turkey, which is a strategic ally, Qatar's Ambassador to Turkey Salem bin Mubarak al-Shafi has said.

In an interview with Anadolu Agency, the envoy said the visit of His Highness the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani to Turkey on Wednesday "will serve to confirm the close links between the Qatari and Turkish peoples and their common positions vis-a-vis the many challenges they face". He said Qatar has always been proactive in supporting the Turkish people, and the two countries share common positions on all regional and international issues.

Al-Shafi pointed out that many Qatari citizens went to exchange outlets with tens of millions of dollars to buy the Turkish lira in order to support and revive the Turkish currency, considering that Turkey is a strategic ally of Qatar. "We renew our firm stand with the brotherly Turkish people in their present ordeal," he said, adding: "Our strong relations with the Republic of Turkey enjoy a special status among our people."

The ambassador said Qatar would continue supporting Turkey, as it did during the defeated coup attempt in mid-2016.