Saif Moqadam Al-Boenain, Qatari ambassador to Egypt (Photo: Al-Ahram)
Qatar's envoy to Egypt left Cairo on Wednesday evening, returning to Doha following the expiration of a 48 hour formal notice set by Egypt amid ongoing strained ties with the Gulf state , Al-Ahram Arabic news website reported.
Security sources told Al-Ahram that Qatari Ambassador Seif Bin Moqadem El-Boaynan left Cairo for Turkey's Istanbul, where he is then set to board another flight to Doha.
Egypt imposed a flight ban to and from Qatar on Tuesday, closing off Egyptian airspace to Qatari aircrafts that seek to land or pass through.
Egypt's flagship carrier EgyptAir has suspended flights from and to Doha until further notice, forcing Cairo-bound passengers seeking travel from Qatar to pass first through Jordan, Kuwait, or Turkey, according to sources in the company.
The decision to cut ties with Qatar followed a move on the part of Bahrain to sever diplomatic and transport links with the Gulf state. This prompted similar actions on the part of Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Egypt, Yemen and the eastern-based government of Libya, as well as other countries.
All of the governments said that their decision was based on Qatar's ongoing support for terrorist organisations such as Daesh and Al-Qaeda, as well as interference in the internal affairs of nations in the region.
Egypt said it took the decision "in light of the continued insistence of the Qatari government to take a stance against Egypt."
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