Last week, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain severed ties with Qatar amid a slew of punitive measures. Some groups Qatar has backed — such as the Muslim Brotherhood — are seen by many as a legitimate political force. Others, including some hard-line Sunni rebel factions in Syria, are not that different ideologically from groups that Saudi Arabia backs there. For its part, Saudi Arabia once hosted members of Ahrar al-Sham at a Syrian opposition conference in its capital. Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Egypt view it as a direct threat to their rule and deem it a destabilizing force.

Source: Washington Post June 11, 2017 17:17 UTC