Qatar: Celebrations mark national day

By Ahmed Yusuf

DOHA (AA) - Qatar on Tuesday marked its national day with a huge celebration featuring military parades before Emir Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad Al-Thani and with the attendance of Turkey’s Defense Minister Hulusi Akar.

The celebrations in the capital Doha were also witnessed by former Qatari Emir Sheikh Hamad Bin Khalifa Al-Thani as well as a number of Qatari ministers and citizens.

Dec. 18 commemorates the day in 1878 that Emir Sheikh Jassim bin Mohammed Al Thani, the founder of Qatar, came to power.

Marking the occasion, Doha annually organizes massive celebrations in various Gulf states on Dec. 8-20.

This year’s celebrations carry the slogan “Qatar will remain free,” inspired by a poem written by the founding emir also included in Qatar’s national anthem.

Besides the Qatari Armed Forces, the parades included the participation of Qatar’s Interior Ministry.

The large military parade featured armored vehicles and radar equipment purchased by the Qatari armed forces from various Turkish defense firms.

The parade also included the well-known Turkish Armed Forces Mehteran Unit.