CAIRO (AFP) - Egypt's foreign ministry said it summoned Qatar's ambassador on Saturday in protest at Doha's criticism of the military-installed government's crackdown on the Muslim Brotherhood.

Relations between the two countries have deteriorated following the Egyptian military's overthrow of president Mohamed Morsi and a deadly crackdown on his Muslim Brotherhood movement, which Qatar backs.

The Qatari Al-Jazeera news broadcaster has also incensed Egypt's government with its coverage of a police crackdown on persistent Brotherhood protests since Mr Morsi's overthrow in July.

"The Qatari ambassador was summoned over a statement by the Qatari foreign ministry," Egyptian foreign ministry spokesman Badr Abdelatty told AFP.