Iraqi occupation of Kuwait divided Muslims, and BiH paid the price

24 years ago today, the Iraqi occupation of Kuwait began. The occupation of Kuwait occurred amidst Iraq's economic crisis, which was a consequence of debt incurred from the costs of the war with Iran. Kuwait refused to write off Iraqi debts, after which Saddam Hussein ordered the invasion.

Haris Silajdžić told the Kuwait News Agency that Iraq's invasion of Kuwait meant "the beginning of the collapse of the project of Arab nationalism and Islamic solidarity", reports the BiH news agency Patria.

Silajdžić was the Minister of Foreign Affairs of BiH at the time, and he stated that the Iraqi occupation of Kuwait was a coup against the concept of good neighborly relations. This case would later affect the unitary structure and solidarity among Muslims.

-   It also had a negative impact on the situation in Bosnia and Herzegovina when the Serbian regime, a year and a half after that invasion, began its attack on BiH, exploiting the weaknesses and disintegration of Muslims caused by the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait – said Silajdžić.

He emphasized that Bosnia and Herzegovina paid the "price" for this shameful Iraqi act, making Muslims and Arabs an easy target for enemies. He also stressed that the Iraqi regime supported Serbia in the war against BiH by providing them with oil, and later weapons, because Bosniaks sympathized with the Kuwaitis.

The Iraqi occupation ended with the help of major powers and other coalition partners in February 1991.