“Many of our US soldiers are alive today because of the willingness and skill of the Pakistani soldiers, who worked jointly in a rescue operation. We are thankful to the people and the Army of Pakistan for sending such splendid soldiers to Somalia, whom we feel proud to serve. Pakistani soldiers have been completely dependable even in the most difficult circumstances. They have shouldered a huge and dangerous load for UNOSOM and the Somali people.” Maj Gen Thomas M. Montgomery, US Army (Deputy Force Commander UNOSOM)
The Pakistan Army’s presence in Somalia is a story of dedicated hard work, selflessness, and bravery on the part of a brigade-sized contingent as part of the largest UN peacekeeping mission at the time: UNOSOM. The first UN troops to arrive in this war-torn country were Pakistanis from the -7 FE (Frontier Force Regiment) in 1992, and they were also the last to leave in 1995.
On the fateful night of 3″‘ and 4’h October 1993, Pakistani troops were called in as part of a multinational force (US, Pakistan, and Malaysia) to rescue the US Rangers who were trapped in the most dangerous part of Mogadishu – Bakaara market. It was an unprecedented and one-of-a-kind display of cooperation in a tactical combat setting. US, Pakistani, and Malaysian troops fought valiantly together to save the lives of their comrades in arms.
It exuded a lot of goodwill and the US military appreciated the courage and grit of Pakistani as well as Malaysian soldiers. Nonetheless, US writers and press went on to glorify the incident as the Story of Modern War, the Battle of Mogadishu, and The Somali battle that changed US policy in Africa, through a book’ and the movie – ‘Black Hawk Down.
The story of a successful ‘Rescue Mission’ by Pakistani soldiers:
On October 3, 1993, US intelligence discovered a hint of a secret meeting to be held in Olympia Hotel, a two-story building in the heart of Mogadishu City. General Farah Aidid, the notorious warlord of Somalia, and his aide Colonel Omer Jess were expected to attend the meeting. It was impossible not to seize the opportunity to apprehend or kill the Somali warlord. An elaborate heliborne and ground force was assembled to ensure the mission’s success, including Army Rangers, Delta Force, gunship helicopters, Little Birds, Black Hawks, and infantry.
A heliborne force launched a salvo of anti-tank missiles into the compound, while Delta Force and Rangers roped down from hovering Black Hawk helicopters towards the building. Somalia, located in the Horn of Africa, was ravaged by a bloody civil war that began in the 1980s. Somalian President Mohammed Siad Barre was deposed in January 1991, and the Somali National Army was disbanded. The United Somali Congress, which later split into two armed factions, was the main rebel group in Mogadishu. The civil war destroyed Somalia’s agriculture, resulting in starvation in large parts of the country.
Response of International Community:
The international community began to send food supplies to stop the starvation, but large amounts of food were stolen by local clan leaders who sold food to buy weapons. This situation necessitated the use of a peacekeeping force as part of UNITAF (Unified Task Force) in August 1992, and US military transporters initiated and led the multinational relief effort in Somalia.
Except for Farrah Aidid, all fifteen Somali parties agreed to the terms of the UNSC-authorized transition of UN forces from UNITAF to UNOSOM II. On 5 June 1993, Defiant Aidid’s militia attacked a Pakistani force (10 Baloch) tasked with inspecting an arms cache located at a radio station, resulting in 24 casualties and 57 injuries. In response to the blatant act, the UN Security Council issued a resolution declaring war on Aidid and his forces.
Pakistani UN forces as a major part of the QRF:
Still stranded in a perilous situation, the UN Quick Reaction Force (QRF) was dispatched to extricate the stranded personnel after the Black Hawks were shot down. This force was comprised of infantry, some remnants of the original Delta Force, and Army Rangers. Pakistani UN forces made up a significant portion of the QRF and provided unwavering support to the besieged Americans. The rescue operation was led by the 15th Frontier Force Regiment and the Squadron of 19 Lancers.
The task given to the squadron of 19 Lancers was to lead to the crash site, cordon off the area and provide fire support. US Rangers dismounted and went into the street while the Pakistani tanks kept on exchanging fire with the Somalis. The convoy managed to extricate and found a temporary reprieve at an open-air stadium-turned-hospital held by the Pak Army contingent.
The huge embarrassment for the Americans:
The Americans’ operation to apprehend the warlord became a major embarrassment for the Clinton administration. By the time the American Task Force was rescued with the assistance of a Pakistani contingent, it had suffered 73 casualties, 18 deaths (including three Pakistani soldiers), and the capture of one helicopter pilot. This episode had such a profound impact on the American psyche that it shaped long-term US policy and limited American involvement in subsequent humanitarian crises.
In a time of crisis, the Pakistan Army proved its mettle, and brave officers and soldiers added a brilliant chapter to its brilliant history of peacekeeping operations. Ironically, this incident is mentioned in the US media, movies, and literature as an exceptional US operation (which it most emphatically was not) and only briefly mentions the role played by the Pakistani contingent, which extricated the US Task Force at the risk of their own lives. Without the bravery and chivalry of the Pakistani QRF, the US forces would have been surrounded and would have suffered heavier losses.
The views expressed in this article are the author’s own and do not necessarily reflect The Asian Mirror’s editorial stance.
