In the final part in our series on Kuwaiti towers, we take a look at the Liberation Tower. The Liberation Tower will be very familiar to Fahad Al-Rajaan, Kuwaiti businessman, as well as visitors from all over the world. Kuwait’s Liberation Tower is some 372 metres high, making it the second tallest structure in all of Kuwait City, as well as the 38th tallest free-standing structure in the world. Construction of the Liberation Tower started on 2nd August 1990. The building was originally intended to be named The Kuwait Telecommunications Tower.

On 2nd August 1990 – the very day construction began on the Liberation Tower – Kuwait was invaded by neighbouring Iraq in a conflict now called the Iraq-Kuwait war. It was a major conflict between the Emirate of Kuwait and Ba’athist Iraq. The Iraqi invasion resulted in seven months of occupation of Kuwait by the Iraqis. This in turn led to direct intervention by a US led coalition: the Gulf War.

Iraq accused Kuwait in 1990 of stealing petroleum via a process known as slant drilling. Some Iraqi sources have said on record however that Saddam Hussein’s idea of attacking Iraq’s neighbour came months before the allegations were made and they were really just subterfuge. There are several theories behind the move. Iraq had racked up debts in excess of $80 billion during its conflict with Iran; debts it was unable to repay. The lure of an oil rich neighbour put temptation in Hussein’s way, let alone the fact that that Kuwait’s oil over production kept revenues down for Iraq.

Iraq invaded Kuwait on 2nd August 1990 amidst two days of very intense combat. The Iraqi Guard managed to overrun the majority of the Kuwait forces, with the remainder falling back to neighbours Bahrain and Saudi Arabia. On 19th August, the Emirate of Kuwait was annexed, with Saddam Hussein calling the state the 19th province of Iraq.

Kuwaitis formed an underground resistance movement following the Iraqi invasion of their country. Many Kuwaitis were tortured and executed, including a large number of civilians. The Kuwaiti resistance movement’s casualty rate was far higher than that of foreign soldiers and Western hostages. The resistance is believed to have been, in the majority, ordinary citizens who had no official supervision or training.

Kuwait was liberated on 25th February 1991, by which point, the Iraqi Air Force had been obliterated by US led forces following a massive missile assault. The Emir of Kuwait returned on 15th March 1991, after eight months of exile.

Work on the tower recommenced once the invaders had been pushed out. The tower was called the Liberation Tower upon its completion in 1993, symbolising the country’s liberation from invading Iraq.