Operation Habitat
Encyclopedia
The 1991 uprisings in Iraq
were a series of anti-governmental intifada (rebellions) in Southern and Northern Iraq during the aftermath of the Gulf War in March–April 1991. On 16 May 1991, 75 Australian Defence Force
(ADF) personnelhttp://www.dva.gov.au/OAWG/remembering_war_dead/gulf/gulf9.htm were deployed to Kurdistan, northern Iraq
on Operation Habitat, http://cas.awm.gov.au/PROD/cst.acct_master?surl=1300461365ZZFLPLDAYLIV07906&stype=4&simplesearch=&v_umo=&v_product_id=&screen_name=cas_search_pkg.pr_search_by_link&screen_parms=acid~ps_query_type=accnum~ps_query=CANA/91/0095/05~ps_query_text=CANA/91/0095/05&screen_type=BOTTOM&bvers=4&bplatform=Microsoft%20Internet%20Explorer&bos=Win32Australia's
contribution to the multinational response known as Operation Provide Comfort
.
The goal of this mission was to defend approximately 4 million Kurdish people
fleeing their homes in the aftermath of the Gulf War
and supply them with humanitarian aid. When the ADF contingent arrived, the situation was improving but was far from normal. The Kurds were living in tents located on the side of the road or in their destroyed villages. Poor water supply and sanitation was a major problem. Temperatures were in the high 40's to low 50's °C and high tens during the night. Accommodation for the ADF personnel was in tents.
The ADF contingent was located at Gir-i-Pit, approximately 30 km north of Dahak
in northern Iraq. 4 medical teams of five personnel each were deployed, each consisting of a medical officer, nursing officer and three medical assistants. Each team had an interpreter attached. A dental team, preventative health team, engineering section and headquarters/administration support group were also deployed. Personnel were sourced primarily from the 2nd Field Ambulance http://www.2fieldambulance.com/index.html of the Operational Deployment Force (the 3rd Brigade) in Townsville and from various units in the ADF including members from the 1st Health Support Battalion (1HSB).
ADF medical teams operated in an area approximately 500km2. While one medical team remained at base, the other three medical teams would travel approximately 200km and treat 60-100 patients each day.http://www.defence.gov.au/army/RAAMC/docs/Paulatim%201991%20-%201992B.pdf More than 3,000 patients were seen by the ADF medical teams, with over 80% of those being paediatric. The common conditions treated included diarrhoea, dehydration
, malnutrition
, scabies
, respiratory tract infections, malaria
, typhoid fever
, anaemia, and a range of chronic diseases. Fragmentation
injuries were also seen due to the vast number of land mines and unexploded ammunition littered across the countryside.
By the time the ADF personnel had completed Operation Habitat on 30 June 1991, life for the Kurdish people was returning to normal and the health in the region was rapidly improving. Kurds were returning to their farms, rebuilding their villages and the children were going back to school.
1991 uprisings in Iraq
The 1991 uprisings in Iraq were a series of anti-governmental rebellions in southern and northern Iraq during the aftermath of the Gulf War. The revolt was fueled by the perception that the power of Iraqi President Saddam Hussein was vulnerable at the time; as well as by heavily fueled anger at...
were a series of anti-governmental intifada (rebellions) in Southern and Northern Iraq during the aftermath of the Gulf War in March–April 1991. On 16 May 1991, 75 Australian Defence Force
Australian Defence Force
The Australian Defence Force is the military organisation responsible for the defence of Australia. It consists of the Royal Australian Navy , Australian Army, Royal Australian Air Force and a number of 'tri-service' units...
(ADF) personnelhttp://www.dva.gov.au/OAWG/remembering_war_dead/gulf/gulf9.htm were deployed to Kurdistan, northern Iraq
Iraq
Iraq ; officially the Republic of Iraq is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert....
on Operation Habitat, http://cas.awm.gov.au/PROD/cst.acct_master?surl=1300461365ZZFLPLDAYLIV07906&stype=4&simplesearch=&v_umo=&v_product_id=&screen_name=cas_search_pkg.pr_search_by_link&screen_parms=acid~ps_query_type=accnum~ps_query=CANA/91/0095/05~ps_query_text=CANA/91/0095/05&screen_type=BOTTOM&bvers=4&bplatform=Microsoft%20Internet%20Explorer&bos=Win32Australia's
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
contribution to the multinational response known as Operation Provide Comfort
Operation Provide Comfort
Operation Provide Comfort and Provide Comfort II were military operations by the United States and some of its Gulf War allies, starting in April 1991, to defend Kurds fleeing their homes in northern Iraq in the aftermath of the Persian Gulf War and deliver humanitarian aid to them.-Operation...
.
The goal of this mission was to defend approximately 4 million Kurdish people
Kurdish people
The Kurdish people, or Kurds , are an Iranian people native to the Middle East, mostly inhabiting a region known as Kurdistan, which includes adjacent parts of Iran, Iraq, Syria, and Turkey...
fleeing their homes in the aftermath of the Gulf War
Gulf War
The Persian Gulf War , commonly referred to as simply the Gulf War, was a war waged by a U.N.-authorized coalition force from 34 nations led by the United States, against Iraq in response to Iraq's invasion and annexation of Kuwait.The war is also known under other names, such as the First Gulf...
and supply them with humanitarian aid. When the ADF contingent arrived, the situation was improving but was far from normal. The Kurds were living in tents located on the side of the road or in their destroyed villages. Poor water supply and sanitation was a major problem. Temperatures were in the high 40's to low 50's °C and high tens during the night. Accommodation for the ADF personnel was in tents.
The ADF contingent was located at Gir-i-Pit, approximately 30 km north of Dahak
Dahuk, Iraq
Dohuk is the capital of Dahuk Governorate in Iraq. It has about 250.000 inhabitants, mostly consisting of Kurds, with an Assyrian minority...
in northern Iraq. 4 medical teams of five personnel each were deployed, each consisting of a medical officer, nursing officer and three medical assistants. Each team had an interpreter attached. A dental team, preventative health team, engineering section and headquarters/administration support group were also deployed. Personnel were sourced primarily from the 2nd Field Ambulance http://www.2fieldambulance.com/index.html of the Operational Deployment Force (the 3rd Brigade) in Townsville and from various units in the ADF including members from the 1st Health Support Battalion (1HSB).
ADF medical teams operated in an area approximately 500km2. While one medical team remained at base, the other three medical teams would travel approximately 200km and treat 60-100 patients each day.http://www.defence.gov.au/army/RAAMC/docs/Paulatim%201991%20-%201992B.pdf More than 3,000 patients were seen by the ADF medical teams, with over 80% of those being paediatric. The common conditions treated included diarrhoea, dehydration
Dehydration
In physiology and medicine, dehydration is defined as the excessive loss of body fluid. It is literally the removal of water from an object; however, in physiological terms, it entails a deficiency of fluid within an organism...
, malnutrition
Malnutrition
Malnutrition is the condition that results from taking an unbalanced diet in which certain nutrients are lacking, in excess , or in the wrong proportions....
, scabies
Scabies
Scabies , known colloquially as the seven-year itch, is a contagious skin infection that occurs among humans and other animals. It is caused by a tiny and usually not directly visible parasite, the mite Sarcoptes scabiei, which burrows under the host's skin, causing intense allergic itching...
, respiratory tract infections, malaria
Malaria
Malaria is a mosquito-borne infectious disease of humans and other animals caused by eukaryotic protists of the genus Plasmodium. The disease results from the multiplication of Plasmodium parasites within red blood cells, causing symptoms that typically include fever and headache, in severe cases...
, typhoid fever
Typhoid fever
Typhoid fever, also known as Typhoid, is a common worldwide bacterial disease, transmitted by the ingestion of food or water contaminated with the feces of an infected person, which contain the bacterium Salmonella enterica, serovar Typhi...
, anaemia, and a range of chronic diseases. Fragmentation
Fragmentation (weaponry)
Fragmentation is the process by which the casing of an artillery shell, bomb, grenade, etc. is shattered by the detonating high explosive filling. The correct technical terminology for these casing pieces is fragments , although shards or splinters can be used for non-preformed fragments...
injuries were also seen due to the vast number of land mines and unexploded ammunition littered across the countryside.
By the time the ADF personnel had completed Operation Habitat on 30 June 1991, life for the Kurdish people was returning to normal and the health in the region was rapidly improving. Kurds were returning to their farms, rebuilding their villages and the children were going back to school.