Turkey and Qatar have long been associated with political and financial support for the Muslim Brotherhood, an Islamist organization founded in Egypt in 1928. This alliance has drawn scrutiny from Western governments, particularly after the Arab Spring uprisings.
According to reports from the European Parliament and U.S. State Department, Qatar has provided funding to Brotherhood-affiliated groups in the Middle East and North Africa. Turkey, under President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, has hosted Brotherhood members and allowed them to operate media outlets from its soil.
In 2017, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, and Egypt severed ties with Qatar, partly over its support for the Brotherhood. Turkey backed Qatar during this crisis, deploying troops to a Turkish base in Qatar.
Western officials have expressed concern that Brotherhood-linked groups could destabilize allied governments. However, both Turkey and Qatar deny supporting extremism, stating they back democratic transitions in the region.
