Pentagon says no concrete decisions made on expansion of Al Udeid airbase in Qatar

The Pentagon has downplayed a Qatari announcement about plans to expand the Al Udeid airbase, the biggest military facility used by Washington in the Gulf.

Although not a permanent base, it hosts more than 11,000 US troops and has been in operation since 2002.

Qatar News Agency said representatives from both countries on Tuesday “laid the foundation stone for expanding” Al Udeid. But the Pentagon played down the development, saying nothing concrete had been decided.

“It is premature to discuss aspects of a potential base expansion at Al Udeid,” Lt Cmdr Rebecca Rebarich said. “The US military is working with the Qatari Ministry of Defence on further details of the proposal to help us to plan appropriately and ensure we will use any new facilities effectively.”

QNA reported that the project would include “the construction of barracks and service buildings to support joint security efforts, as well as improving the quality of life of the troops stationed at the airbase”.

Other members of the US-led coalition fighting ISIS in Syria and Iraq are also at Al Udeid, 35 kilometres south-west of Doha.

The news agency said the project “underscores Qatar’s commitment to deepening its strategic military relations with the US”. Ryan Gliha, US charge d’affaires in Doha, was at a ceremony to lay the foundation stone for the expansion.

“We saw today the opening of a new construction project,” Mr Gliha said.

“What we hope to see in the coming years and months is the strengthening” of bilateral ties.

Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Bahrain and Egypt cut relations with Qatar last year over its support for terrorism.

Lt Cmdr Rebecca Rebarich said it was premature to discuss aspects of a potential expansion of Al Udeid