Two Qatari Mirage interceptor fighters took part on Friday in the UN mission to enforce a no-fly zone over Libya, the French Defence Ministry said.
Along with Qatar - the first Arab country to take part in the operation - the United Arab Emirates will send 12 warplanes to support the international coalition in Libya, French President Nicolas Sarkozy said earlier in the day.
French military command said that about 30 French aircraft had taken part in the operation in the past 24 hours.
The UN Security Council imposed a no-fly zone over Libya on March 17, and permitted "all necessary measures" to protect civilians from Libyan leader's Muammar Gaddafi's attacks on rebel-held towns.
The military operation in Libya, codenamed Odyssey Dawn, has been conducted so far jointly by 13 states, including the United States, Britain and France.
PARIS, March 25 (RIA Novosti)
Mirage 2000
Qatar participated in a combat mission  to enforce a  over Libya on Friday, one day after NATO agreed to take command. Qatar is  the first Arab country to take part in the  operation against Moammar Gadhafi's regime. The  said two Qatai  flew Qatar's first sortie over Libya  accompanied by a French jet.

Besides Qatar, the United Arab Emirates has agreed to  send 12 warplanes to support the international no-fly alliance.  No other countries from the  have agreed to join so far. Qatar's combat deployment as the first by an Arab or Muslim-majority country  thus is of  critical impact.

Qatar's participation has great  diplomatic importance. Major General Margaret Woodward, Commander of , stated: "Having our first Arab nation join and start flying with us emphasizes that the world wants the innocent Libyan people protected from the atrocities perpetrated by pro-regime forces".

The emir of Qatar has typically preferred subtle diplomacy  rather than confrontation, as Qatar is vulnerable because of its tiny size and its position on the tip of the Arabian peninsula.  Qatar's decision to send planes is  related to its need to  maintain  its independence from its bigger  neighbors like  Iran and Saudi Arabia, according to  .

France, the United Kingdom and the United States are among thirteen states which have so far joined the no-fly mission over Libya. The  was established by the UN Security Council on March 17.


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