Memories of first Ramadan after liberation of Kuwait in 1991

Unforgettable are the days of the holy month of Ramadan on March 17, 1991, three weeks after the liberation of Kuwait, historian Salih Misbah said recalling the dark skies, plumes of smoke, and the burning oil wells. That year, Ramadan came with the country suffering a devastated environment as result of the clouds of smoke billowing from nearly 700 oil wells set ablaze by the occupying Iraqi troops. Misbah, member of the Rumaithiya cooperative society during the seven-month Iraqi occupation of Kuwait, said. Weather was cold, power cut off, water in short supply, and the air was filled with smoke", Misbah said, recalling how people and clothes were soaked with carbon-saturated burnt oil smoke. He said the people were living tough conditions with shortage of fuel, bread, and baby foodstuff. The country's bakeries began production operations in the last days of April, he added. Some people digged water wells in their own backyards to overcome the water shortage, he said.Food supply started to pour into Kuwait from neighboring Saudi Arabia, he said, noting that cooperative markets were totally empty-shelved. He praised the coordination of the popular committees, citizens, and cooperative markets back then as they tried to solve the many problems.Despite the difficulties, people were enjoying strong bonds and mosques became the ever-frequented gathering place.