MIDDLE EAST BRIEF

File: cia_65316_65316_01.txt
Page: 01
Total Pages: 1
Subject: MIDDLE EAST BRIEF     
Not Finally Evaluated Intelligence     
     
TO FACILITATE ELECTRONIC ACCESS, THIS DOCUMENT HAS BEEN     
REFORMATTED TO ELIMINATE INFORMATION THAT DOES NOT PERTAIN     
TO GULF WAR ILLNESS ISSUES OR THAT IS CLASSIFIED. A COPY OF     
THIS REDACTED DOCUMENT, IN ORIGINAL FORMAT, IS AVAILABLE ON     
REQUEST. 

DIRECTOR 509924 
 
 
SUBJECT:    MIDDLE EAST 
FEBRUARY 1991 
 
SUBJECT: MIDDLE EAST                        FEBRUARY 1991. 
CONTENTS 
1. IRAQ-KUWAIT: SITUATION REPORT 

1. IRAQ-KUWAIT: SITUATION REPORT  
 
 
MORE SCUDS LAUNCHED 
          IRAQ LAUNCHED THREE MODIFIED SCUD MISSILES TODAY, 
TWO FROM WADI AL JABARIYAH TOWARD TEL AVIV AND ONE FROM THE 
SAFWAN AREA TOWARD RIYADH.  PATRIOT MISSILES WERE FIRED IN 
ALL CASES AND INTERCEPTED TWO OF THE SCUDS. PRELIMINARY                    
REPORTING SAYS THE THIRD, AIMED AT TEL AVIV, WAS NOT 
INTERCEPTED AND IMPACTED IN THE SUBURB OF PETAKH TIKVAH, 
DAMAGING SEVERAL HOMES AND CAUSING LIGHT INJURIES.  THE ONLY 
OTHER CASUALTIES FROM TODAY'S ATTACKS OCCURRED IN RIYADH, 
WHERE FALLING DEBRIS CAUSED TWO MINOR INJURIES AND DAMAGE TO 
A SCHOOL. 
COMMENT: THESE WERE THE FIRST SCUD LAUNCHES IN TWO DAYS.  
ALL SIX LAUNCHES TOWARD ISRAEL SINCE 28 JANUARY HAVE COME 
FROM THE WADI AL JABARIYAH AREA.  ALL OF THE LAUNCHES TOWARD 
RIYADH SINCE 22 JANUARY HAVE COME FROM THE SAFWAN AREA. 
MORE WELL FIRES IN KUWAIT'S OILFIELDS 
          TEN WELLS ARE ON FIRE IN KIMAIT'S Al MANAQISH 
OILFIELD, IN ADDITION, AT LEAST FIVE WELLS IN THE AL BURQAN 
FIELD AND TWO IN THE UMM QUDAYR FIELD ARE ON FIRE. 
IRAQI FORCES HAVE SABOTAGED NEARLY 90 WELLS IN THE AL WAFRAH 
OILFIELD ON THE SAUDI-KUWAITI BORDER.  
COMMENT: THE AL MANAQISH OILFIELD PRODUCED UP TO 70,000 
BARRELS PER DAY FROM 26 WELLS. 
FOR FRONTLINE TROOPS. ALTHOUGH BOMB CRATERS DOT THE AREA, 
RANDOM EXPLOSIONS ARE UNLIKELY TO HAVE SET OFF ALL THE 
FIRES.  MANY OF THE BURNING WELLS PRODUCE FROM A DEEP, HIGH 
PRESSURE OIL RESERVOIR THAT HAS A HIGH CONCENTRATION OF 
DEADLY HYDROGEN SULFIDE GAS AND COULD BE VERY DIFFICULT TO 
BRING UNDER CONTROL.  THE IRAQIS ALSO APPEAR TO HAVE 
SABOTAGED THE WELLS IN THE LOW-PRESSURE AL WAFRAH FIELD, BUT 
MOST OF THESE FIRES HAVE BURNED OUT.  
CHINA MORE ACTIVE IN GULF DIPLOMACY

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