US ambassador to Qatar Dana Shell resigns amidst crisis

Doha: The US ambassador to Qatar said Tuesday she is leaving her post in Doha, in the midst of the worst diplomatic crisis involving America’s Gulf allies in years.

“This month, I end my 3 years as US Ambassador to #Qatar. It has been the greatest honor of my life and I’ll miss this great country,” Dana Shell Smith wrote on Twitter.

Smith did not say why she was stepping down, if she was staying within the diplomatic



service or who would replace her.

In Washington, officials said the ambassador had made a personal decision to leave the post earlier this year after serving a normal three-year tour.

“Ambassador Dana Smith’s assignment as ambassador comes to an end this month and she will depart Qatar later this month as part of the normal rotation of career diplomats throughout the world,” a senior State Department official said.