The Gulf

HC Deb 17 April 1991 vol 189 cc197-8W

Mr. Canavan

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is his latest estimate of the number of fatal military and civilian casualties in the Gulf war from(a) the United Kingdom, (b) the United States of America, (c) Kuwait, (d) other countries participating in the coalition force, (e) Iraq and (f) other countries, respectively.

Mr. Archie Hamilton

Twenty-five military personnel were killed in action during the operation to liberate Kuwait. There were no United Kingdom civilian casualties during the operation. I understand that the figures for military deaths from other coalition countries during the operation were as follows:

	Number
(a) United States	142
(b) Kuwait	One
(c) Other coalition countries	51

As at 16 April, the United States also had five personnel still listed as missing. I understand that it is estimated that about 1,300 Kuwaitis were killed in the first three days following Iraq's invasion and about 1,700 subsequently. We have no authoritative information on civilian casualties suffered by other coalition countries, nor on military or civilian casualties sustained by Iraq or by other countries outside the coalition.