Failaka Island is the longest-inhabited territory in Kuwait, dating back to ancient Mesopotamia.<\/p>\n
This island was colonized by the Greeks during the time of Alexander the Great<\/strong>, who named it \"Icarus\" because of its similarity to a Greek island of that name. In fact, the island's name derives from an ancient Greek word, fylakio, meaning \"outpost.\" In the Early Middle Ages, the island was populated by Nestorian Christians. In 1990, the island had about 2,000 inhabitants<\/strong>, who were expelled by the Iraqis after the invasion of Kuwait carried out that year on the orders of dictator Saddam Hussein.<\/p>\n The Iraqis filled the island with landmines<\/strong> and used it as a firing range. During the Gulf War, Allied forces bombed the island to force the invaders to surrender. After the war, the island was demined but continued to be used as a military exercise site<\/strong>, but this time by Kuwait and its Western allies. Many buildings on the island remain in ruins.<\/p>\n As you may recall, a few weeks ago the YouTube channel Exploring the Unbeaten Path<\/a> published a video showing Iraqi military vehicles from the invasion period on this island<\/a>. On March 23, the same channel published a second video exploring the ruins of this island:<\/strong><\/p>\n
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