Somalia

1992-1995

3 Reviewed

The operation known informally as Restore hope (in Somalia ) began on 3 December 1992 and ended on 4 May 1993; it is part of a series of events that precede this operation and continues with the subsequent UN interventions from March 1993 to March 1995, known as UNOM II.

The conflict in Somalia, among the deadliest in Africa at this time, then takes an even more dramatic turn, aggravated by three factors: a prolonged drought, the complete disruption of the country's infrastructure, which does not help to rescue people in distress and the willingness of several parties to the conflict to block relief to their opponents. For if the regions in rebellion oppose the central power, they also fight against the other regions raised, many neighboring areas being disputed between them. As a result, some 50,000 to 60,000 direct victims of war will be added between 300,000 and 500,000 victims of the famine it will cause.

It is in this context that the UN decides, by resolution 751 of 24 April 1992, to create a United Nations operation in Somalia (UNOSOM) which will deploy on the 26th and will have about 960 members including 53 military observers and three representatives successive specials. In August 1992, resolution 775 decided to extend its mandate, but without strengthening its staff.

Like most military engagements during the Cold War era, it is impossible to date to know exactly how many Amerindians served during this conflict, but we can count on the case of Staff Sergeant Schwerer Allen R, Comanche de Oklahoma, Veteran of Vietnam and Operation Desert Storm.