HH the Deputy Emir of Qatar Attends Honoring Ceremony of Military Task Force in Libya

Doha, May 24 (QNA) - HH Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani, the Deputy Emir, Heir Apparent and the Deputy Commander-in-Chief of the Qatari Armed Forces on Thursday morning attended the ceremony honoring participants in the Qatari military task force in Libya, held at the military camp in Al-Shahaniya. At the beginning of the ceremony, the national anthem of the State of Qatar was played, followed by a recitation of verses from the holy Quran. HH the Deputy Emir and Heir Apparent greeted the officers and other officials lined up, who took part in the military task force in Libya. Addressing the ceremony, HE Chief of Staff of the Qatari Armed Forces Major- General Hamad bin Ali Al Attiyah welcomed the Deputy Emir and Heir Apparent. HE Al Attiyah praised the efforts being exerted by the Qatari Air Forces during its mission in Libya by providing guidance, training and humanitarian assistance and medical evacuation. The Qatari Armed Forces along with security authorities and civil bodies have presented a brilliant image of their country by supporting the people during their distress, said HE Al Attiyah. The Chief of Staff expressed gratitude to HH the Deputy Emir and Heir Apparent for his continuous efforts and for directing the Qatari Air Forces during their mission in Libya, so that the operation was crowned with success, wishing the armed forces and security and civil authorities all progress, development and success under the wise leadership of HH Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani, the Emir and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces. In his speech delivered on this occasion, the Deputy Emir, Heir Apparent and the Deputy Commander-in-Chief of the Qatari Armed Forces said HH the Emir Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani has taken the wise and brave decision to support the Libyan people, when pro-regime forces were advancing towards Benghazi to commit atrocities against unarmed civilians. "It was a historic and decisive decision," said HH Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani. HH the Deputy Emir and Heir Apparent praised this successful mission, which was implemented in conditions of extreme difficulty and complexity. "Thanks to your will and commitment, Qatar will continue its development process, build a modern state and achieve sustainable development," His Highness said, expressing confidence that Qatar's principle is not to intervene or impose any political regime. Qatar gave unconditional support to the Libyan people's revolution, concluded HH the Deputy Emir and Heir Apparent. For his part, Member of Libya's Transitional Council Salem Qanan, delivered a speech on behalf of the Council's President, Adviser Mustafa Abdul Jalil, in which he praised HH the Emir Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, HH the Heir Apparent Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani and the Government and people of Qatar for standing with the Libyan people in times of adversity, conveying at the same time the greetings of the Transitional Council's President and members and the Libyan people and government to the people of Qatar. "On this day, we honored those who stood with the Libyan people during the revolution of February 17," Qanan said, pointing to the Qatari martyr Ali Hassan Al-Jabber who killed in Libya during the revolution. He also thanked the heroic people of Qatar, saying that Libya will not deny Qatar's role in giving the revolution all what it can. A number of televised speeches were also delivered during the ceremony for each of Commander of the Special Operations Brigadier General Abdulaziz Yousef Al Nuaimi, Brigadier General Mubarak Fahad Al Nuaimi and anti-terrorism chief Colonel Hamad Abdullah Ftais, who talked about the Qatari Duty Force in Libya. After that, a film about the efforts of the participating units in the Force during the Libyan revolution and their role in maintaining peace and security for civilians in cooperation with the NATO forces as well as contributing to the medical evacuation operations and transferring humanitarian aids to the besieged and isolated areas was presented to the audience. The ceremony ended with a presentation of the infantry line parade and the army vehicle parade which took part in the Duty Force in Libya in addition to parachutists' dropping. (QNA)