Soldiers Kill Gunman at Qatar Base Used by U.S.
U.S. and Qatari soldiers killed a Qatari man Wednesday after he opened fire at an air base used by U.S. warplanes.
No other casualties were reported in the late morning shooting. The attacker’s motive was unknown.
The violence at Al Adid Air Base came just two days before Qatar is to host World Trade Organization talks. U.S. Trade Representative Robert B. Zoellick will head the American delegation for the discussions with 141 other nations.
Some members of the WTO had been wary of coming to the Gulf state because of heightened tensions in the region linked to U.S. strikes on Afghanistan. Qatar supports the U.S. war on terrorism, and American troops involved in the campaign are in the country.
The gunman fired at a security position manned by two U.S. personnel and a Qatari soldier, according to the U.S. Central Command.
The official Qatar News Agency said that the gunman fired several times at the air base and that the guards shot back, killing him instantly. It identified the gunman as Abdullah Mubarak al Hajiri.
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