Ammon News - AMMONNEWS - Iraqi Vice President Tariq al-Hashimi has arrived in Qatar on what the Gulf nation's state news agency called an "official visit.

The unexpected visit on Sunday marks Hashimi's first foreign trip since he fled to Iraq's semi autonomous Kurdish region to avoid an arrest warrant issued in December.

Hashimi is Iraq's highest-ranking Sunni official and is accused him of running death squads against Shia pilgrims.

Hashimi has denied the allegations. He publicly denounced the government charges as "politically motivated", accusing authorities of coercing his bodyguards to make false confessions against him.

Iraq's Interior Ministry last month demanded that Kurdish leaders arrest Hashimi before he could flee the country.

The semi-autonomous Kurdish region has its own security forces, which means Hashimi is effectively out of reach from police controlled by the central government in Baghdad.

Hashimi will stay in the Qatari capital Doha for several days, the Qatar News Agency said.

"Vice President of the Republic of Iraq Tariq al-Hashimi arrived here on Sunday on a several-day official visit to Qatar. He was welcomed upon arrival at Doha International Airport by HE Minister of State Sheikh Hamad bin Nasser bin Jassim Al Thani."said the Qatar News Agency.

Hashimi's office said he plans to meet with Qatar's emir and the prime minister during the visit.

"Vice President Tareq al-Hashimi left on Sunday morning heading to Doha in the brotherly state of Qatar in accordance with an invitation he received previously," the statement said.

He plans to visit additional, unnamed countries during the trip before returning to Iraq's Kurdish region, his office said.



* Agencies