On August 2, 1990, Iraq invaded and occupied Kuwait. The Security Council subsequently adopted several resolutions calling for the immediate withdrawal of Iraqi forces from Kuwait. On November 29th, the Security Council notified Iraq that it had until January 15, 1991 to implement those resolutions. If not, member states were authorized to use all necessary means, including the use of force, to uphold and implement the resolutions. However, Iraq failed to comply. On January 16th, the first air attacks were conducted against Iraq. This was followed by a ground offensive on February 24th. Hostilities were suspended on February 27th.
On April 3rd, the Security Council adopted resolution 687 which set detailed conditions for a cease-fire and established the machinery for ensuring implementation of those conditions. The resolution requested that the Secretary-General submit a plan for the immediate deployment of a United nations observer unit to monitor the Khor Abdullah and a demilitarized zone, which extended ten kilometers into Iraq and five kilometers into Kuwait. The observer unit would also act to deter violations of the boundary through its presence in and surveillance of the demilitarized zone. It would observe for any hostile or potentially hostile action mounted from the territory of one state to the other.
On April 9th, the Security Council adopted resolution 689 which approved the Secretary-General's plan for the establishment of the United Nations Iraq-Kuwait Observation Mission (UNIKOM). A UNIKOM advance party arrived in the area in April. The mandate was subsequently expanded in January 1993 by Security Council resolution 806 with the addition of an infantry battalion. UNIKOM is authorized to take physical action to prevent or redress small scale violations of the DMZ and of the boundary between Iraq and Kuwait.
Since the demarcation of the Iraq-Kuwait boundary in May 1993 by the United Nations Iraq-Kuwait Boundary Demarcation Commission, the situation along the DMZ has remained relatively calm. The UNIKOM mandate is reviewed on a regular basis by the Security Council.
Source: Basic Facts About the United Nations. Published by United Nations Department of Public Information. Copyright 1995 United Nations.
