| Saddamiyat al-Mitla' District قضاء صدامية المطلاع (Arabic) | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| De factodistrict of Iraq | |||||||||
| 1990–1991 | |||||||||
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| • Type | Military occupation | ||||||||
| Historical era | Gulf War | ||||||||
• Republic of Kuwait annexed by Iraq | 28 August 1990 | ||||||||
• Liberation of Kuwait | 26 February 1991 | ||||||||
| |||||||||
Saddamiyat al-Mitla' (Arabic:قضاء صدامية المطلاع) was adistrict inBasra Governorate during theIraqi occupation of Kuwait 1990–1991.The formation of the district was announced on August 28, 1990.[1][2] The name sought to honour the Iraqi presidentSaddam Hussein.[2] Whilst the rest of Kuwait was annexed as the19th governorate of Iraq, the strategic northern part of Kuwait was annexed as the Saddamiyat al-Mitla' district as part of the Basrah Governorate.[1]
The district covered some 7,000 square kilometres (2700 sq. mi.).[3] It includedWarbah Island,Bubiyan Island, the area around Abdali,Raudhatain oil field, Sabriya oil field, Ratqa oil field and the southern part of theRumaila oil field.[4] Apart from its oil resources, the district held most of the underground water sources of Kuwait.[4] Iraqi media declared that a new city, also named Saddamiyat al-Mitla', would be built in the district.[5]
At the time there was speculation on whether the placing of the Saddamiyat al-Mitla' district in the Basrah Governorate rather than the Kuwait Governorate indicated that Iraq might have been ready to retreat from the rest of Kuwait but keep the northern areas.[6]
