Qatar's Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani (R) meets with visiting Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Doha, Qatar, July 24, 2017. The two leaders held a meeting on Monday to discuss ways to end the diplomatic crisis in the Gulf. (Xinhua Photo)

DOHA, Aug. 7 (Xinhua) -- Qatar, Turkey sealed the joint military exercise aimed at supporting counter-terrorism efforts, the official Qatar News Agency reported Monday.

The "Iron Shield" exercise, which ended on Sunday, included training of leaders to assess and control the situation on the ground, as well as strengthening coordination between the two sides, said Hadi Rashid Al Shahwani, commander of the exercise, according to the report.

The exercises, held under the patronage of Minister of State for Defence Affairs Khalid bin Mohamed al-Attiyah, are considered as part of a mutual agreement aimed at strengthening the defence capabilities of both countries.

The exercise was held to combat "extremism and smuggling operations, as well as to maintain security and stability in the region," said the report.

Turkey has been the foremost supporter of Qatar since the Saudi-led siege began on June 5.