The United Arab Emirates has warned that anyone expressing sympathy for Qatar could face up to 15 years in prison, as a regional crisis escalates.

UAE officials said Qatar needed to end its support for terrorist groups, a claim the Gulf state strongly denies.

Several countries including Saudi Arabia and Egypt cut travel and diplomatic links with Qatar on Monday.

Turkey, meanwhile, has promised to fast-track a bill allowing more troops to be based in Qatar.

Media captionThe economic disruption could have an impact on Qatar if the dispute drags on.

Reports say Iran and Turkey are also planning to airlift food and water into the country as supplies run low.

The emir of Kuwait is mediating in the dispute and the president of Turkey has also offered to help, but the UAE tightened the squeeze on Qatar on Wednesday.

“Strict and firm action will be taken against anyone who shows sympathy or any form of bias towards Qatar, or against anyone who objects to the position of the United Arab Emirates, whether it be through the means of social media, or any type of written, visual or verbal form,” UAE Attorney General Hamad Saif al-Shamsi was quoted as saying by Gulf News