Abdullah Al-Ali: Iraqi forces surrounded my home and threatened my mother, forcing us to leave the country during the invasion

Nada Abu Nasr: The Iraqi invasion of Kuwait on August 2, 1990, was not merely a transient political and military event, but a humanitarian ordeal etched into the memory of those who lived through it. We present vivid testimonies and realistic stories narrated by individuals who experienced those difficult days, conveying details of resilience, pain, hope, and liberation. We spoke with the former Director of Security for Hawalli, retired Major General Abdullah Al-Ali, about his personal testimony during the Iraqi invasion. He said: “On the morning of August 2, 1990, I held the rank of captain and worked as an investigating officer at the Jabriya police station. After finishing my night shift, I returned home, and early in the morning, I received a call from my colleagues informing me that Iraqi forces had entered Kuwait. At first, I thought it was a joke, but I soon realized that the invasion had become a reality, and it was an indescribable shock. During the first months of the occupation, I collaborated with a friend to prepare fake driving licenses, vehicle registration books, and municipal IDs under pseudonyms, aiming to help officers and military personnel move safely away from the occupying forces’ pursuit. He added that one of the unforgettable moments was the visit of the martyred Ahmad Qabazard, may God have mercy on him, who was a colleague, friend, and officer in the Ministry of Interior. He was outside Kuwait when the invasion occurred, but he returned to his homeland despite the risks, in an act that embodied his courage and loyalty to Kuwait. He asked me to prepare fake IDs and documents for him and several other officers, and promised that they would be ready the next day, but he never returned to collect them. About two weeks later, I received a call from an acquaintance at Mubarak Hospital informing me that the occupying forces had dumped the body of the martyred Ahmad Qabazard at the hospital entrance. I went with two friends to the mortuary in the Shuwaikh area, despite the strict guard and checkpoints scattered at that time. There, we underwent a thorough search before being allowed to enter. The martyr’s father, mother, and a few of his friends were waiting for the body’s arrival. When the hearse arrived, we carried his body inside in preparation for washing it. After this incident, the security situation became more dangerous, and the occupying forces received information indicating that I was forging IDs and licenses to support resistance fighters. Learning before their arrival that they intended to raid my home, I left for another location. Iraqi forces surrounded the house and conducted a thorough search, but they found nothing. They threatened my mother and forced her to sign a pledge after informing them that I had left Kuwait, and they threatened her with punishment if they found me. After that, my brother and I realized that my mother’s continued stay in Kuwait was no longer safe, so we decided to leave the country. With the help of a Lebanese person, we managed to reach the Iraqi border, from which we exited Kuwait, then traveled through Iran to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, where we joined the Kuwaiti Army. When the liberation operations began, we were among the first units to return with the Kuwaiti Army and police forces. After liberation, we resumed our duties in the Ministry of Interior, were assigned various security tasks, and continued to serve our homeland with utmost loyalty. My message to the current generation is to always remember what Kuwait went through and to draw lessons from that difficult period. National unity and cohesion among the sons of the homeland are the greatest sources of strength, and there is no place for division or discord.”