The United Nations Iraq–Kuwait Observation Mission (UNIKOM) was established on April 9, 1991 following the

Gulf War , combatant2 = , commander1 = , commander2 = , strength1 = Over 950,000 soldiers3,113 tanks1,800 aircraft2,200 artillery systems , page = https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/GAOREPORTS-PEMD-96- ...

by Security Council Resolution 689 (1991) and fully deployed by early May 1991. The task of joint military observers was to monitor the

demilitarized zone A demilitarized zone (DMZ or DZ) is an area in which treaties or agreements between states, military powers or contending groups forbid military installations, activities, or personnel. A DZ often lies along an established frontier or boundary ...

(DMZ) along the Iraq-Kuwait border and the Khawr 'Abd Allah waterway, deter border violations and report any hostile action. On February 5, 1993, under Security Council Resolution 806, the mandate was extended to include physical action to prevent violations and the force was expanded to an intended three mechanized infantry battalions plus support. The mandate of UNIKOM was completed on October 6, 2003. The force's headquarters were in

Umm Qasr Umm Qasr (, also transliterated as ''Um-qasir'', ''Um-qasser, Um Qasr. Kurdish: ئومقەسڕ, Ûmqêsir'') is a port city in southern Iraq. It stands on the canalised Khawr az-Zubayr, part of the Khawr Abd Allah estuary which leads to the P ...

, Iraq, within the DMZ. The maximum strength of the force was 1,187 on February 28, 1995. The Security Council extended its mandate for a final time in July 2003. The mission ended on September 30, 2003. There were over 135 military observers and civilian staff at the time, mainly protecting the border checkpoints. Ultimately, a new conflict, the

War in Iraq This is a list of wars involving the Republic of Iraq and its predecessor states. , style="background:#F88" , Coalition of Gulf War, Coalition victory * Kuwait, State of Kuwait resumes self-governance over all Kuwaiti sovereign territory * Esta ...

, would dissolve the "peacekeeping" mission. Swarms of military equipment would gather in Kuwait and cross into Iraq's borders during the 2003 invasion of Iraq. During the mission, there were 18 fatalities. Contributors are

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(including the mechanized infantry battalion),

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(

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before December 24, 1991),

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and

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In addition, during the setting-up phase (April–October 1991), UNIKOM included a Canadian combat engineer regiment (1 CER), a Security Battalion consisting of a multinational Bn Staff (SWE-FIN-NOR) and five infantry companies, drawn from UNFICYP and UNIFIL. Those troops were provided by Austria, Denmark, Fiji, Ghana, Nepal, and United States. There was also a maintenance/repair & recovery unit from Norway and a HQ logistic company from

drawn from UNIFIL.

References

Bury, Jan (2003). "The UN Iraq-Kuwait Observation Mission". ''International Peacekeeping'', 10 (2): 71–88

External links

* Records o
the United Nations Iraq-Kuwait Observation Mission (UNIKOM) (1991-2003)
at the United Nations Archives {{DEFAULTSORT:United Nations Iraq-Kuwait Observation Mission Foreign relations of Kuwait

Kuwait Kuwait, officially the State of Kuwait, is a country in West Asia and the geopolitical region known as the Middle East. It is situated in the northern edge of the Arabian Peninsula at the head of the Persian Gulf, bordering Iraq to Iraq–Kuwait ...

United Nations operations in Iraq 687 Iraq–Kuwait relations Military operations involving India Kuwait and the United Nations

See also

References

External links