FROM LEBANON TO KUWAIT

A ceasefire was agreed between Iraq and Kuwait in 1991, and the United Nations established an observer mission (UNIKOM) along the border. Sweden contributed a small contingent (KW01), which was reinforced with personnel from Lebanon.

UNIKOM was assembled in great haste, and its logistical support consisted largely of whatever the Americans could spare.

When the Swedish detachment from UNIFIL arrived, there were few comforts awaiting them. Mosquito nets, tents, sleeping bags and camp beds — everything was set up inside a warehouse that had escaped damage during the war.

The KW01 Commemorative Book contains accounts by UN observer Major Jan Mörtberg. Just before landing in Kuwait City, everything suddenly turns pitch black. Thick, impenetrable smoke engulfs the aircraft.When he and his fellow passengers step out onto the runway in June, the temperature is around 35 degrees Celsius.

“Wrecks of cars and armoured fighting vehicles, military transport aircraft and bullet-riddled sections of the airport buildings gave us our first impression of what the area would look like.”

A few months later, in October, Mörtberg has made up his mind: of all the things Saddam Hussein has done, these appalling oil fires are the worst.

By this point, he has grown accustomed to the demanding working conditions. In addition to the intense heat, the oilfields spew out filthy soot that damages the lungs. As if that were not enough, hearing is also constantly at risk, as burning oil wells are deafeningly loud. The flames can reach as high as 50 metres into the air, accompanied by a roar resembling that of a jet engine.

On this particular October day, one of the wells is extinguished. The oil does not stop gushing out, but at least there is silence.

The period between Mörtberg's arrival and this October evening has been a mixture of intense activity and complete calm. Most of the fires have been extinguished, and the summer heat has subsided from its peak of around 50 degrees Celsius in the shade. Ice has therefore been a particularly welcome item among the supplies delivered to the observers by the transport platoon.

For the most part, Kuwait and Iraq have behaved well along the border. Mines and other hazards have been cleared to such an extent that the observers can move relatively freely along certain roads.

However, far from all the mines have been removed. Many Iraqis risk life and limb to collect mines, weapons and other ammunition. According to Mörtberg, an anti-tank mine can fetch as much as 40 Swedish kronor in Iraq. Almost every day, UN forces are called upon to evacuate seriously injured people as a consequence of this trade.

The Gulf War

On 2 August 1990, Iraq invaded its neighbouring country, Kuwait. During the night of 3 August, Kuwait surrendered. However, the war was far from over. A US-led coalition involving more than 30 countries began planning a counteroffensive.

The operation began on 17 January 1991 with a large-scale air campaign. A few weeks later, the ground offensive was launched, defeating Iraq in less than 100 hours. Sweden's contribution was relatively small, consisting of a field hospital in Saudi Arabia to which wounded coalition soldiers could be evacuated. As it turned out, there were not many such casualties, as the Iraqi army collapsed considerably faster than expected.

The coalition achieved its objective of driving Saddam Hussein's forces out of Kuwait, but the region remained unstable. The border between Iraq and Kuwait was disputed, and UNIKOM was therefore tasked with monitoring the area. Sweden contributed to this observer mission with a hastily assembled logistics platoon. To support the unit, a transport company from UNIFIL (the United Nations mission in Lebanon) was dispatched in April on a journey of more than 1,500 kilometres.