Operation Southern Watch

Operation Southern Watch was a military operation with the aim of a no-fly zone in Iraq south of the 33rd parallel enforce. The operation took place between the end of the second and the beginning of the Third Gulf War, 1991-2003, instead. It was conducted by the Joint Task Force Southwest Asia ( JTF - SWA).

The Operation Southern Watch began on 27 August 1992 with the objective of enforcing the UN Security Council Resolution 688, which called on Saddam Hussein to end the repression against the civilian population of Iraq.

The operation was carried out by military forces of the United States, the United Kingdom, France and Saudi Arabia, the commander of the forces was directly subordinate to the United States Central Command.

During the period of Southern Watch, there were regular combat missions, of which, however, was in the Western press to read rather rare. These missions served the interception of aircraft as well as the bombing of air defense within the no-fly zone. Before the invasion of Iraq in 2003, the combat missions increased, which was explained by the increased use of air defense (including radar surveillance and pointing by Allied aircraft ). However, it was later known that increasing the bombing was planned in Operation Southern Focus.

In the north of Iraq, the operation Northern Watch was performed.