Operation Provide Comfort
$700M
Cost
20,000
Troops Deployed
15
US Casualties
0
Civilian Deaths
Overview
The humanitarian and military operation to protect Kurdish refugees in northern Iraq following the Gulf War. After Saddam Hussein's brutal crackdown on Kurdish uprisings, the US established a no-fly zone and safe haven for 500,000 Kurdish refugees.
Outcome
Successfully protected Kurdish population and established de facto Kurdish autonomy in northern Iraq. This autonomous zone eventually became the Kurdistan Regional Government.
Key Fact
Operation Provide Comfort created the foundation for Kurdish autonomy that persists today, fundamentally reshaping Iraq's political geography.