Al Jazeera :
Qatar has inaugurated its National Day celebrations with a morning parade under clear skies on the waterfront of the capital, Doha.
Thousands of citizens and residents turned out on Saturday to watch the annual parade that began with the national anthem, an 18-shotgun salute and military aircraft streaking across the sky.
Land, air and naval armed forces, the presidential guard, and Lekhwiya security forces marched along the Corniche road. Troops from the Ministry of Interior’s civil defence force, coastguard, border patrol and traffic police also joined the march, with the sound of trumpets and drums playing throughout.
Afterwards, Qatar’s Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani walked along the Corniche, saluting spectators who waved the Qatari flag.
“On the National Day of our country Qatar, I congratulate the [Qatari] people and everyone who lives among us in it – you have increased the country’s prosperity,” Sheikh Tamim said on Twitter.”With my sincerest wishes that this nation will remain safe and secure,” he said.
The December 18 holiday marks the unification of Qatar in 1878 under the leadership of the country’s founder, Sheikh Jassim bin Mohammed Al Thani. It has been celebrated every year since 2007.
