Iraq was created in 1921, at the end of the First World War, on a territory that had been abandoned by the Ottoman Empire. Iraq covers part of Kurdistan, a region sharing boundaries with four countries: Iraq, Iran, Syria and Turkey.
Consequently, the Kurds, with a population of about 25 million inhabitants, 5 million (in1991) of whom live in Iraq, are separated into zones where they have been reduced to minorities. Given their specificity and relative cultural homogeneity, coupled with some spirit of nationalism and the fact that they express themselves in their own language, the history of the Kurds has all along been marked by a series of autonomy-inspired actions.
It was thus within this context that in 1962, Kurd freedom fighters, the Peshmergas, staged a rebellion and conquered the northern part of the country after a series of clashes. Meanwhile, during the Iran-Iraq War, which broke out in 1980, the Kurds supported Iran, thereby poking the flame of Saddam Hussein’s hatred, who, in reaction, deployed what remained of his military arsenal against them, killing several thousands of civilians mostly with chemical weapons.
Early 1991, after the Kuwait War, there was another Kurd rebellion, which was mercilessly suppressed by the Iraqi army; Kurd villages and property were systematically destroyed. In order to flee from Saddam Hussein’s wrath, widespread massacres, and the ‘’hell flames’’ that were consuming their homeland, Kurds thronged into Iran and Turkey, while some of them went as far as Europe. Over two million people, about half the population of Iraqi Kurdistan, fled their country, completely stripped of all their possessions.
In April 1991, the UN, in reaction, condemned in strong terms the Iraqi aggression against the Kurds and adopted various resolutions:
Iraq was asked to allow humanitarian aid to be channelled freely to the refugees.
The Iraqi army was forbidden from setting foot on the protected zone, “Provide Comfort”, created north of parallel 36.
Thanks to assistance from NGOs, and safety guarantees given by the UN, exiled Kurds were able to return safely to their battered homeland. However, that was far from being the end of their difficulties and sufferings as reconstruction work had to begin from scratch. Furthermore, in the years that followed, federated Kurdistan experienced dissensions and internal armed clashes between Kurd parties due to their political cleavages.
Guerre du Golfe - 1991 -
Soldats français en action
Photo ECPAD
France's role
As from April 1, 1991, and in accordance with Security Council’s resolutions 687 and 688, France participated, within the framework of the “Provide Comfort” operation, in humanitarian actions aimed at providing assistance to people fleeing from Iraqi Kurdistan.
The said French participation took place under the name Operation Ramure, at the Iranian borders, and Operation Libage, at the Turk borders. The strength of the mobilized French force was over 2000 men, essentially made up of parachutist, infantry and transportation corps detachments, backed by military air resources.
Tasks executed by French peacekeeping forces included:
The dropping of several thousands of tonnes of first aid, particularly foodstuff, medicines and blankets to hundreds of thousands of starving refugees.
The creation of a safety zone inside Iraqi territory and the protection of refugees found therein.
France withdrew from the “Provide Comfort” international operation at the end of 1996.