Two Australian soldiers, Gary Conquest and Fred Williamson, standing near the second door of the ...

Two Australian soldiers, Gary Conquest and Fred Williamson, standing near the second door of the building used by the Australian members of the United Nations Operations in Somalia II (UNSOM II). There is a wall of sandbags around the door, and 'Australia house' has been painted on the wall above it. UNOSOM II was the third peacekeeping/monitoring operation sanctioned by the United Nations (UN) in Somalia. UNOSOM I was established in April 1992 to monitor the ceasefire in Mogadishu and escort deliveries of humanitarian aid throughout the city, and later throughout the country. Despite the ceasefire, the fighting continued and the UN accepted the United States offer to lead an intervention force, which was known as the United Task Force (UNITAF). Once this force had maintained a secure environment, UNOSOM II took over in March 1993 to continue the restoration of peace, stability, law and order and provide humanitarian aid. More than 30 countries, including Australia, provided troops and police to UNOSOM II. The Australian contingent was withdrawn in 1994, and UNOSOM II was withdrawn completely following the Battle of Mogadishu in which two American black hawk helicopters were shot down and 18 American soldiers were killed in the crashes and following overnight battle. The televised images of the bodies of two of these soldiers being dragged through the streets was a turning point, and American and possibly the world's support for this operation faltered, leading to the withdrawal of the operation in March 1995.