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Resolution
661, August 6 and 9, 1990: The Council declared,
on behalf of the international community, its determination
to "terminate the invasion and occupation of Kuwait
by Iraq and to restore the sovereignty, independence
and territorial integrity of Kuwait". It affirmed
"the inherent right of individual or collective
self-defence…". |
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Resolution
664, August 19, 1990: The Council condemned the
unjustifiable detention of civilian hostages regardless
of international law. It was demanded that these nationals
be allowed to depart from the territory of Iraq or Kuwait,
and that their health or security should not be jeopardised. |
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Resolution
665, August 25, 1990: This resolution contained
tightened control over vessels that might be engaged
in inward or outward shipping to Iraqi ports. |
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Resolution
666, September 13, 1990: This resolution demanded
the implementation of earlier Security Council resolutions,
including the resolutions enforcing the economic embargo
and demanding the protection of the rights of the civilians
under occupation. |
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Resolution
669: This resolution was adopted to tighten the
economic embargo, enforced upon Iraq under Resolution
661, and to examine requests for assistance submitted
by states harmed by such embargo. |
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Resolution
670, September 25, 1990: The strict and full application
of the measures contained in Resolution 661, regarding
the economic sanctions against Iraq, was sought to be
ensured through this resolution. The Council called
upon all states of the world to extend the economic
embargo against Iraq so as to include supplies by air,
in addition to supplies shipped by sea or by any other
route. |
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Resolution
674, October 29, 1990: The Council reaffirmed the
violation of the Iraqi aggression to the provisions
of international law. It also affirmed the Council's
obligation to protect the rights of civilian aliens,
and to provide them care, security, food and medical
supplies. |
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Resolution
677, November 28, 1990: This provided that "the
Council condemns attempts by Iraq to alter the demographic
composition of the population and destroy the civil
records maintained by the legitimate government of Kuwait." |
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Resolution
678, November 29, 1990: The Security Council authorised
the use of force to deter the Iraqi aggression and force
its withdrawal from Kuwaiti territories. |
When it became apparent that Baghdad had no
intentions to withdraw, over 18 countries joined the Operation
Desert Storm, a US led multinational military effort of
truly amazing magnitude. The Coalition Forces consisted
of more than 690,000 troops from 18 countries, 185 warships
and more than 1,000 combat aircraft. The operation was backed
by the UN, which took prompt and decisive action during
the crisis by consistently issuing resolutions against and
warnings to Baghdad.
The Liberation of Kuwait began in the early
hours of a wintry January day. At 2.40 am on January 17,
those with access to TV watched the fireworks of anti-aircraft
fire over Baghdad with fascination. The first attacks on
Kuwait City began a little before 4 am. Within hours of
the raids, a full-scale attack was launched.
Meanwhile, the Kuwaiti Resistance continued
to play an important role within the country by disrupting
the enemy command, weakening their position and subverting
them in every possible way, while simultaneously providing
the Allied forces with vital information. When the ground
war began, Resistance forces started attacking in the form
of "hit and run" sniping attacks.
The Operation Desert Storm struck with lightning
speed and the Iraqis were routed within 42 days. February
26, 1991 marked the end of Iraqi occupation of Kuwait and
beginning of new life, free from fear and intimidation.
Soon the Resistance forces were in control of most of the
city.
At 9:00A.M. on February 27th 1991 the flag
of FREE KUWAIT was raised in a celebration in the capital.
Overjoyed groups of people gathered in suburbs and city
ecstatically, congratulating each other with tears of happiness
and relief. Portraits of Saddam Hussein were torn; Iraqi
flags were ripped down from public buildings and replaced
with Kuwaiti ones. By the next day, the celebrations had
reached a fever pitch. The delighted residents thronged
the streets, cheering, clapping, blowing car horns, waving
flags and carrying large posters of HH the Amir and HH the
Crown Prince, which they had preserved under pain of death.
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Resolution
686, March 2, 1991: The security council called
on Iraq to immediately revoke all Iraqi claims annexing
Kuwait. |
Crayoned banners thanked the Allies. Kuwaitis
danced in the streets in gay abandon. HH the Amir, Sheikh
Jaber Al-Ahmed Al-Sabah, who had narrowly escaped capture
by the Iraqis, returned to his country on March 14, 1991,
by which time a semblance of normalcy had been re-established.
Overcome by emotion, HH the Amir dropped to
his knees and kissed the precious soil of his homeland,
now free again, its legitimate government restored. The
worst lay behind them now, but there was still a long way
to go. The difficult and arduous task of reconstructing
the shattered country lay ahead.
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