Explosion shakes school in Qatar

An explosion was heard near a British school in Qatar tonight, the British Foreign Office said.

It is not known if there were any casualties in the blast which happened three miles north of Doha, capital of the Gulf state.

A Foreign Office spokesman said embassy staff had been called to the scene.

It is thought the blast happened outside the British school which was closed at the time, according to local reports.

Police sealed off Farek Kelab, the residential area where the school is based after the 6.15pm (Irish Time) explosion.

“We understand there has been an explosion opposite the Doha English speaking school. Embassy staff are on their way there now,” the Foreign Office spokesman said.

“We don’t know at this stage if there are any British casualties. My understanding is that the explosion was opposite the school rather than at the school itself.”

Qatar is located at the southern end of the Persian Gulf.