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Wednesday, August 15, 2007

Qatar's military recruiting women for non-combat roles

ABU DHABI — Qatar's military is recruiting and promoting women.

The Gulf Cooperation Council emirate has been recruiting women for administrative and logistics positions in the military. The Qatari military has also been promoting women officers.

On Aug. 1, Sumayya Hassan Nasser Al Rashid became the first Qatari woman promoted to the rank of colonel, Middle East Newsline reported. Ms. Al Rashid heads the Internal Diseases Section at the Medical Services Department of the Qatari military.

"I reached this position through my dedication and hard work," Ms. Al Rashid said.

In an interview to the Qatari daily Al Sharq, Ms. Al Rashid said she has been treated equally to men in the military. She said she has received support from her family.

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"I am from a military family, and most of my family works in the army," Ms. Al Rashid said. "I have received tremendous support and encouragement from my father as well as my brothers."

Ms. Al Rashid, a graduate of the medicine faculty at King Saud University in Riyad, joined the Qatari military. By 2003, she was promoted to the rank of lieutenant colonel.

Women do not participate in combat missions in Qatar. But the military has placed women in support roles. The military has not released figures on women personnel.

"When I took part in my first military exercise in 2002, I was the only woman participant," Ms. Al Rashid said. "I felt as a stranger in that environment. In the exercise that took place ahead of Asian Games in 2006, I was in a very prominent position and I led the entire medical team."

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