Kuwait–Nejd Border War

Kuwait-Najd Border War
Part of Unification of Saudi Arabia
Date 1919-1920
Location Emirate of Kuwait
Sultanate of Nejd
Result Saudi retreat
Belligerents
Ikhwan (Mutayr) British forces
Kuwaiti irregulars
Commanders and leaders
Faisal al-Dwaish Sheikh Salim Al-Mubarak Al-Sabah
Casualties and losses
200 killed[1]

The Kuwait-Najd Border War erupted in the Aftermath of World War I, when the Ottoman Empire was defeated and the British invalidated the Anglo-Ottoman Convention, declaring Kuwait to be an "independent sheikhdom under British protectorate". The power vacuum, left by the fall of the Ottomans, sharpened the conflict between the sheikhdom of Kuwait and Najd. The short war resulted in sporadic border clashes through 1919-1920.

Contents

History

In 1913 the emir of Riyadh captured Sanjak of Hasa from the ottomans to became the new neighbor to Emirate of Kuwait. according to Anglo-Ottoman Convention of 1913 kuwait's border extending south to Manifa (a bout 200 km from kuwait city), However Emirate of Najad didn't recognize the Convention since the ottoman province annexed to najd.

in 1919 Sheikh Salim Al-Mubarak Al-Sabah intended to build a commercial city in the southern borders of Kuwait Causing a diplomatic crisis with Najd However, Britain intervened to discourage Sheikh Salim to do so.

in 1920 ikhwan started to build a town for them in southern borders of Kuwait which Angered Sheikh Salim. he asked Britain to stop them from building in his lands but the High Commissioner in Baghdad overlook the request. then Sheikh Salim sent 300 men to intimidate the ikhwan however this lead to a bloody battle and the defeat of kuwaiti forces.

Sheikh Salim asked help from emirate of Hail the enemies of emirate of Najd which sent troops to aid kuwait, Sheikh Salim again sent all the troops to attack ikhwan however they were ready to the battle so the kuwaiti troops did not attack and returned to jahra. ikhwan forces (4,000 men) Tracked them to jahra raided Jahra, 40 km from the capital battles occurred in which the Kuwaitis were mostly victorious. Some 200 people were killed in the battle.[1] In response, the British deployed gunboats, armored cars and aircraft. Eventually, the Bedouins withdrew.

Aftermath

The 1922 Treaty of Uqair set Kuwait's border with Saudis and also established the Saudi-Kuwaiti neutral zone, an area of about 5,180 km² adjoining Kuwait's southern border.

See also

References

  1. ^ a b [1]