The emir of Qatar on Thursday met with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan for surprise talks in the capital Ankara, a Turkish presidential official said.

The emir of Qatar on Thursday met with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan for surprise talks in the capital Ankara, a Turkish presidential official said.

Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani was holding closed-door talks at Erdogan's newly built presidential palace in Ankara, the official told AFP, without elaborating further.

Turkey and Qatar have emerged as close allies in the last years during the conflict in Syria, with many reports saying they have been funding and supporting Takfiri militants operating in Syria and Iraq.

In September, Erdogan paid a two-day visit to Qatar to discuss bilateral ties and economic relations between the two regional allies as well as to hold talks over various regional issues including ISIL and the situation in war-torn Gaza.

Among the most significant allies of Turkey, Qatar is the third country Erdogan visited as president and the first in the Middle East following Turkish Cyprus and Azerbaijan in early September. Erdogan was accompanied on his visit by Energy Minister Taner Yıldız and MİT head Fidan.