ABU DHABI: The UAE on Monday lodged a complaint with the International Civil Aviation Organization after it said Qatari jets approached civilian flights last week, official media said.
The United Arab Emirates is among four Arab states that cut ties with Qatar in June, accusing Doha of ties to Islamists and Shiite Iran. Qatar denies the allegations.
A civil aviation dispute between the two Gulf states erupted earlier this year, with the UAE also filing a complaint with the ICAO in January.
Saif Mohammed Al-Suwaidi, director of the UAE’s general civil aviation authority, said Abu Dhabi had filed another complaint on Monday over what it said was the interceptions of a passenger flight and civilian helicopter over Bahrain last Monday.
Suwaidi called the interceptions “deliberate violations of international convenants” and “a threat to civil aviation,” state news agency WAM reported.
Doha has denied approaching the flights.
Under the cut in ties and boycott by the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and Egypt, Qatar is banned from using its rivals’ airspace.
UAE files complaint over Qatari flight ‘interceptions’
UAE files complaint over Qatari flight ‘interceptions’
Syrian authorities bust smuggling ring, tighten border controls
- Smugglers' boat collides with rocks as it attempted to flee pursuing as Coast Guard vessels
- The boat was about to illegally transport passengers from the Syrian coast of Tartus coast to Cyprus
DAMASCUS: Syrian Coast Guard forces have arrested members of a human smuggling network operating in the western town of Tartus, the Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA) reported Saturday.
Authorities pounced on the smugglers as they were about to transport passengers from the Tartus coast to Cyprus by illegal means, the state media said, citing a statement from the General Authority of Ports and Customs.
"The operation resulted in the arrest of all those involved, including the organizers of the trip," said the report, adding that the smugglers' boat attempted to escape as Coast Guard vessels surrounded it, but collided with rocks.
No details were made available on how many suspects were arrested and how many passengers were rescued. Criminal charges are being prepared against the arrested suspects, SANA said.
New restrictions on commercial transit
In a separate move to regulate trade and border security, the ports and customs authority has issued a new policy restricting truck access at land crossings and seaports.
Commercial trucks will now only be permitted entry for loading or unloading upon presentation of an original receipt from the Ministry of Transport’s freight office.
The transfer of cargo between Syrian and non-Syrian vehicles must now take place strictly within designated customs yards at border crossings.
Trucks passing through Syria in transit remain permitted, provided they are under a mandatory customs escort between entry and exit points.
