Doha, June 11 (QNA) - HE Minister of Interior and Commander of the Internal Security Force (Lekhwiya) Sheikh Khalifa bin Hamad bin Khalifa Al-Thani Thursday attended the conclusion of the joint trilateral exercise in urban search and rescue, with the participation of specialized teams from the State of Qatar, the French Republic, and the Syrian Arab Republic.

The closing ceremony was attended by HE Minister of Emergency and Disaster Management of the sisterly Syrian Arab Republic Raed Al Saleh, HE Ambassador of the French Republic to the State Arnaud Pescheux and a number of senior officials and officers.

Representing Qatar in the exercise was the Qatar International Search and Rescue Group of the Internal Security Force (Lekhwiya).

The French Republic was represented by the France 3 and France 2 search and rescue teams, while the Syrian Arab Republic participated through its Civil Defense Directorate.

The exercise included simulations of realistic urban search and rescue scenarios, enabling the participating teams to test their capabilities in dealing with complex situations, enhance operational coordination, and exchange expertise in carrying out international missions.

The exercise comes within the framework of strengthening international cooperation and developing the field capabilities of teams working in search and rescue, contributing to enhanced readiness and effective response to natural and humanitarian disasters.

It also reflects Qatar's commitment to consolidating its position as a regional center for training and expertise exchange in search and rescue, and demonstrates Lekhwiya's dedication to developing an integrated system for rapid and effective emergency and disaster response, thereby strengthening the preparedness of search and rescue teams to address various challenges and humanitarian missions at both the regional and international levels. (QNA)