UN withdraws all its observers from the Iraqi borders

The UN observer mission between Iraq and Kuwait announced it had withdrawn all its observers from the Iraqi side of the buffer zones between the two states in a precaution under the current circumstance.

The spokeswoman for the UN mission Daljit Baja said that this is a mere preventive measure, noting that conditions are calm at the meantime.

The mission announced on Thursday that it will withdraw temporarily its observers from the remote area in the buffer zones, but said then that its personnel will stay at the two sides of the borders, the Iraqi side and the Kuwaiti side, alike.

The UN has a buffer zone on the Kuwaiti and Iraqi borders in 1991 following the first Gulf war. Some 1000 UN troops exist there.

About 10,000 troopers from the American and British forces are stationed in Kuwait in preparations for a possible attack against Iraq.