ground phase of the "Desert Storm" offensive

The Desert Storm offensive is conducted under the command of the United States and mandated by the United Nations. This operation is conducted by the French army as part of the international coalition formed in the Gulf War in 1990-1991


Two AMX-30 and a truck in AL-Salman

The ground phase of this offensive began on February 23, with the French objective of seizing the As-Salman airport. The progression to the airport took place in 48 hours and was so fast that it was sometimes compared to a "crazy ride". 40 AMX-30 tanks, 100 AMX-10RCs, ERC-90 Sagaie and 600 VAB and VBL built by Panhard and SAVIEM are part of the French ground offensive. The ground offensive will end on February 28, after Iraq has accepted all UN resolutions.

"Few people know that at the end of the first day of the ground attack, after having made a fantastic breakthrough, the French forces were the furthest north, the furthest west. They were the ones who had penetrated the deepest into Iraq. They successfully accomplished the missions that were assigned to them and did so in a tremendous way."  - General Norman Schwarzkopf, Commander-in-Chief of Allied Forces during Desert Storm.


Movement of units in the Desert Storm operation, the Daguet division was in flank

Source: STAFF SGT. DEAN WAGNER - http://www.defenseimagery.mil; VIRIN: DF-ST-92-09231, Public domain,

https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=20996871 To go further: Les forces spéciales françaises dans guerre du Golfe 1991, Jacques Rosier, Etienne Leclère.