Selected Timeline of The 1991 Shiite and Kurdish Uprisings In Iraq

Mar 1 Pres Bush said Iraqi people should overthrow Saddam

- Iraqi army units and civilians in Basra and Suq al-Shuykh begin revolt against govt

Mar 2 Nasiriya joins revolt

- Rebels attack military intelligence headquarters in Basra

Mar 3 Demonstrations against Saddam start in Najaf

Mar 4 Fighting breaks out against govt in Najaf

Mar 5 Kurdish revolt starts in Rania

- Karbala joins Shiite revolt

- Sec of Def Cheney said US would not be able to hold coalition together if it moved on Saddam

- US Gen Brandtner said US would not let weapons go to Shiite rebels in southern Iraq

- Ayatollah Khoei called on people to protect holy places and property during uprising

Mar 6 State Dept said foreign powers should not get involved in Iraq uprising

Mar 7 Bush admin warned Iraq not use WMD against Shiite and Kurdish rebels

- Govt forces began artillery barrage on Najaf

- Peshmerga attack Sulaymaniya

Mar 8 Peshmerga capture Sulaymaniya

Mar 10 Peshmerga begin attack on Tuz Kharmao

- Govt imposes curfew on Kirkuk to try to stop unrest

Mar 11 Govt forces retake Hillah from rebels

- Massoud Barzani offers amnesty to Iraqi soldiers that surrender to Peshmerga

- Peshmerga attack Kirkuk

Mar 12 Govt forces retake Najaf

Mar 13 Pres Bush said Iraqi helicopters should not be used to put down revolts

Mar 15 Saddam declared southern revolt over

Mar 17 Govt forces kill 250-300 civilians in Najaf

- Kurds begin fleeing Tuz Kharmato as govt forces try to retake town

Mar 19 Govt forces recapture Karbala

- Govt arrests Ayatollah Khoei along with 105 relatives staff students and clerics in Najaf

Mar 20 Peshmerga capture Kirkuk

- Kurdish leaders declare that all of Kurdistan liberated from govt

- Ayatollah Khoei appears on state TV with Saddam to denounce southern revolt

- Khoei then placed under house arrest in Najaf

Mar 21 Govt forces began op to retake Kirkuk

Mar 26 J. Talabani returns to Iraq after 3 years in exile to join rebellion

Mar 29 Govt forces retake Kirkuk

Mar 30 Govt forces recapture Dohuk and Irbil

Mar 31 Govt forces move on Sulaymaniya

Apr 1 Govt forces retake Zakho

Apr 2 State Dept said that US never said it was for removing Saddam

- Turkey said that 30,00 Kurds had entered country and 220,000 more were coming after rebellion being crushed

Apr 3 Govt retakes Sulaymaniya

Apr 5 Saddam declares Kurdish and Shiite rebellions over

- UN resolution 688 condemns Iraq's repression of civilians

Apr 7 Sec of State baker condemns Iraq crimes against its people but said US would not get involved

Apr 13 Pres Bush said US would send humanitarian aid to Iraq and condemned govt attacks on civilians but US would not get more involved

Apr 16 Pres Bush said US would set up relief camps for Kurdish refugees

Apr 18 Saddam agreed to UN setting up offices to help displaced following crushing of uprisings