*** Documentary photos ***

The Gulf War, Operation DESERT STORM, the conflict that pitted Iraq against a coalition of 35 states from August 2, 1990 to February 28, 1991...

The famous offensive against Iraq and Saddam Hussein's troops in 1991...

Here are some photos taken by the Coallition during the lightning advance of troops against Saddam's army.

It was named: “HIGHWAY OF DEATH” !!!

___PROBLEM : I can't alternate text with photos, the upload system doesn't allow it.

Unfortunately, this is a real BAD THING... ___

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( I did not dare to put in "photo" text files ...

Feel free to upload, tell me if you do and how/with what. Thank you . Zep')

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So here is the full TEXT HERE ...

Enjoy watching , I hope you enjoy ...

Enjoy!

Zep'

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( WARNING : I used a translator for this text ... )

"Highway of death" -

This is the name of route 80 between Kuwait and Basra in Iraq. This name is not coincidental, because it was on this road that the massacre of the Iraqi troops in retreat from Kuwait during the first Persian Gulf war took place. In two days, about 2,000 Iraqi tanks and armoured vehicles were destroyed, and their remains are still there today in the form they were abandoned more than 20 years ago.

Joint US-Canadian forces attacked a column of Iraqi troops withdrawing from Kuwait on the night of 26 to 27 February 1991. First, the air force bombarded the column for more than 10 hours. And for trained pilots, hitting Iraqi vehicles moving in a tight circle was not a big problem. Then the remnants of the troops were defeated by ground units.

Despite spectacular plans and thousands of destroyed vehicles, whose photos immediately made the world’s rounds, the whole action was not very effective. The death toll is estimated at 10,000 soldiers, but it is probably much overstated. Most of the Iraqi soldiers crossed the Euphrates without problems and it is estimated that more than 70,000 of them reached Basra alone. Iraqi soldiers.

In addition, the actions of the coalition forces themselves are controversial and they are accused of violating the Geneva Convention, as large numbers of civilians have fled to Iraq with the troops. This is mainly the pro-Saddam population previously living in Kuwait. Many of these people died during the bombing, especially since they fled in civilian vehicles: cars and buses, many of which were destroyed and are visible in the photos.

As far as Iraqi equipment is concerned, most is Soviet-made, notably the T-55 and T-72 tanks, which are, among other things, manufactured in Poland. Almost 600 machines of this type are still in active service with the Polish army. In the photos, we can also see infantry fighting vehicles - BMP-1, which in our army are branded BWP-1 and are still in use.

Most of the photos were taken in 1991, but the cemetery along the “Highway of Death” will long remain a frightening monument to that era, because due to the desert climate, the processes of rust and decay hardly occur or are not visible. very slow. So, for many years to come, this cemetery will remain in the state in which the fleeing Iraqi soldiers left it.