Qatar paid up to $1bn to release members of its royal family who were kidnapped in Iraq while on a hunting trip, The Financial Times reported quoting people involved in the hostage deal.

Qatar paid out the hefty ransom to secure the release of 26 members of a Qatari falconry party in southern Iraq and about 50 militants captured by jihadis in Syria.  

Bahrain, Maldives, Saudi Arabia, Egypt,  the United Arab Emirates, Yemen and Libya on Monday decided to sever diplomatic ties with Qatar for allegedly embracing several terrorist groups and its ties with Iran.