TNAG-2237-FCO40-3216-Future-of-Hong-Kong-defence-and-public-order-1991 — Page 74

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ANNEX J TO

D CTS(R) 334/1/2 DATED 24 OCT 91

OPERATION GRANBY RELATED OPERATIONS

This was

4

1. Operations PROVIDE COMFORT/HAVEN and WARDEN. The plight of the Kurdish population of Northern Iraq following the Gulf war in 1991 became international headlines.

Britain's contribution (Operation, HAVEN) to the coalition effort (Operation PROVIDE COMFORT)

COMFORT) started in early April, with the provision of RAF aircraft to drop food, water and medical supplies to displaced people

people in the mountains. followed by the despatch of some 4,500 troops, based on 3 Commando Brigade RM but including about 1,400 Army personnel, as part of the 23,000 strong Coalition Force drawn from 13 Countries. The initial task was to secure an area for the Kurds against Iraqi aggression before our forces assisted in the move of displaced persons to temporary camps, or direct to their homes. Once this was achieved the ground force withdrew to East Turkey in July and reduced to a Battalion Task Force (BTF) with countries fielding company-sized contributions which, with the air component, provided a deterrent to further Iraqi aggression against the Kurds. Operation PROVIDE COMFORT/HAVEN was renamed Operation PROVIDE COMFORT 2/WARDEN for this latter phase.

2.

In June the Turkish Government agreed the continued presence of a Coalition deterrent force until the end of September, with the option of a further extension of 90 days. The UK initial contribution to Operation WARDEN comprised an infantry company of the BTF, a a national HQ element, and

and some posts within BTF HQ.

Whilst the air component was seen to provide a credible deterrent and the BTF represented a political statement of Coalition commitment it was not a realistic military force. The deployment of 8 Jaguars to Incirlik in mid-September was therefore authorised and the Coalition agreed with the Turks to the 90-day extension based upon the recovery of the ground force coupled with a strengthening of component and the continuation of the Military Coordination Committee (MCC). Although the operations demonstrated the military's ability to mount humanitarian relief operations quickly they exposed the lack of coordination of the UN and other international agencies and the UN's inability to provide the necessary focus.

It illustrated the difficulties in coordinating national objectives on Rules of Engagement, C2, joint Host Nation agreements with other Coalition partners, and highlighted the need for a forum to discuss such topics and the desirability of UK Exchange Officers to act as points of contact in CENTCOM and EUCOM.

3. Operation PINSEEKER.

PINSEEKER involved the deployment

of an EOD squadron of 144 men in support of the Royal Ordnance (RO) contract with the Government of Kuwait for the clearance of ordnance following the war. The arrangement to use a military unit was unique and was agreed only in the light of Kuwait's

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