Saddam’s Persecution of Kurds and Shia Muslims Flashcards

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Who are the Kurds in Iraq, and where did most of them live?

The Kurds are a non-Arab ethnic group. In Iraq most lived in the mountains and cities of the north.

Why did Saddam Hussein see the Kurds as a threat?

He feared they wanted independence, control of oil areas in the north, and sometimes took help from Iran.

What was Saddam’s Anfal campaign against the Kurds?

In 1988 his forces attacked Kurdish areas, destroyed villages, and killed or drove out many Kurdish people.

What happened at Halabja in March 1988?

Iraqi planes dropped poison gas on the Kurdish town of Halabja, killing about 5,000 people and injuring thousands more.

Who are Shia Muslims in Iraq?

They are a branch of Islam. In Iraq most Shia lived in the south and together they formed a majority of the population.

Why did Saddam distrust Iraq’s Shia Muslims?

He was a Sunni ruler. He feared Shia links with Iran and believed they might rebel against his rule.

What happened in the Shia uprising after the 1991 Gulf War?

Shia in southern Iraq rose up against Saddam, but his forces crushed them with mass killings, arrests and executions.

How were the Marsh Arabs (a Shia group) persecuted by Saddam?

The government drained their marshes, burned villages and forced many Marsh Arab families to flee or face death.

What methods did Saddam’s government use to persecute Kurds and Shia Muslims?

They used secret police, torture, mass executions, chemical weapons, deportations and the destruction of homes and villages.

How did other countries react to Saddam’s attacks on the Kurds after 1991?

The USA, Britain and others, backed by the United Nations, set up safe havens and no fly zones in the north to help protect Kurdish people.

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