Kuwait commemorates 35 years since the Iraqi invasion

Dubai: On August 2, Kuwait commemorated the 35th anniversary of the 1990 Iraqi invasion, a pivotal moment that scarred the nation but also rallied an international coalition and redefined global geopolitics.

The invasion began in the early hours of August 2, 1990, when Iraqi troops, under orders from then-President Saddam Hussein, crossed the border and seized control of Kuwait City.

The military incursion was swift. Within hours, Iraq had overwhelmed the relatively small Kuwaiti forces. The country’s ruler at the time, Sheikh Jaber Al Ahmad Al Sabah, fled to Saudi Arabia as Iraqi forces consolidated control.

Saddam Hussein attempted to justify the invasion by claiming it was in support of a popular uprising against the Kuwaiti leadership, a claim contradicted by the killing of Kuwaitis who resisted the occupation. Hundreds of foreign nationals were also detained at industrial sites and military installations but were later released before coalition airstrikes began.

The invasion came amid an acute economic crisis in Iraq following its protracted war with Iran. Saddam accused Kuwait of deliberately lowering global oil prices by overproducing crude, a move he claimed damaged Iraq’s economy. When Kuwait refused to forgive Iraqi war debts, Saddam chose invasion.

The international community quickly responded. On August 6, just four days after the invasion, the United Nations imposed economic sanctions on Iraq. By November 29, the Security Council passed Resolution 678, authorizing the use of force if Iraq failed to withdraw from Kuwait by midnight on January 15, 1991.

In the lead-up to the deadline, international diplomacy surged. UN Secretary-General Javier Pérez de Cuéllar and U.S. Secretary of State James Baker both held meetings with Saddam Hussein and his foreign minister, Tariq Aziz, all to no avail. By January, hopes for a peaceful resolution had evaporated.

On January 16, minutes before the UN deadline expired, the U.S.-led coalition launched Operation Desert Storm. Over 1,000 sorties were flown in the first 24 hours.

The skies over Baghdad, and much of Iraq, were filled with precision-guided bombs and cruise missiles. In what became the world’s first "televised war," satellite footage and grainy night-vision videos were broadcast worldwide.

The aerial bombardment lasted six weeks, followed by a four-day ground offensive launched on February 24. Coalition forces advanced across multiple fronts, penetrating Kuwait and southern Iraq.

On February 25, Iraq announced its acceptance of UN terms and began a chaotic withdrawal. The next day, retreating Iraqi forces became targets along the infamous “Highway of Death,” where tanks, trucks, and troops were decimated.

President George H. W. Bush declared a ceasefire on February 27 and formally announced Kuwait’s liberation. Emir Sheikh Jaber returned home from exile on March 14, and his government resumed full control after operating from Saudi Arabia during the occupation.

The toll of the war was devastating. Iraqi casualties are estimated between 70,000 and 200,000, with some 200,000 civilians affected. Coalition deaths totaled 505, including 472 Americans. Iraq lost thousands of tanks and aircraft, and its infrastructure, bridges, oil facilities, power stations, and water plants, was extensively destroyed.

One of the darkest episodes occurred on February 13, 1991, when a U.S. stealth bomber dropped two laser-guided bombs on the Amiriyah shelter in Baghdad.

Believed to be a military command post, the site was in fact housing civilians. The attack killed 314 people, including 130 children. The haunting images of charred bodies shocked the world and were widely disseminated by Iraqi media.

Another environmental tragedy followed. On January 23, Iraq began dumping nearly a million tons of crude oil into the Arabian Gulf and igniting Kuwaiti oil fields. The result was one of the worst ecological disasters of the 20th century.

Kuwait’s resistance during the occupation was remarkable. Civilian and underground networks, made up of both citizens and expatriates, distributed supplies, carried out sabotage, and maintained communication. Women played a vital role, transporting weapons, aiding fighters, and joining men in direct resistance. Meanwhile, the Kuwaiti government worked tirelessly abroad to rally global support.

The war’s end did not bring immediate peace to Iraq. Saddam remained in power, and Iraq remained under UN sanctions for over a decade. The Security Council also established Resolution 687 on April 3, 1991, requiring Iraq to destroy its weapons of mass destruction and setting up a compensation fund for war victims,  with damages estimated at $52 billion.