196                                     U.S. MARINES IN THE PERSIAN GULF, 19901991

initiatives were key in convincing the citizens of Zakhu that this was an army,
perhaps the first in memory, that only meant them goodwill.
   It didn't take long for the message to reach the mountains. Local community
leaders and Pesh Merge chiefs began arriving in Zakhu to verify for themselves
the changes underway and to give proper guidance to their people in the
mountains.  The allies referred to Zakhu and its growing refugee camp to the
east as the coalition security zone.  As the demarche noted, it was to be free of
visible weapons, rules which were meant to apply to Kurds as well as the Iraqi
Army.
   At first, only a trickle of refugees dared to leave the camps to begin the trip
back to Zakhu.     Soon, however, as news of a secure city inside Iraq spread to
the mountains, many residents slowly began to return to their former homes.
A large number of refugees, however, still refused to budge from their hilltop
havens. They were waiting to see what coalition forces would do next.
   As Zakhu was being repopulated, coalition leaders decided that the next
move should be to the east.  Already, British and French forces had probed in
that direction and plans to extend the zone eastward were put into effect.  First,
45th Commando pushed to the town of Batufa,          a small but strategically
important city, then onto the airfield at Sirsenk, another important objective, and
finally to the city of Al Amadiyah, a veritable fortress dating back some 3,000
years; this became the eastern limit of what was referred to as the British sector
under the 3d Commando Brigade, commanded by BGen A.M. Keeling, OBE.
Again, the instruction to the Iraqis via the Military Coordination Committee was
clear and unequivocal--back off and let us do our job.   Compliance occurred
shortly thereafter.
   One area that received special consideration was Saddam Hussein's palace
complex, which was a series of partially completed mansions intended for use
by Iraq's elite.   These modern structures, erected on choice properties, were
guarded by elements of the Iraqi army. Iraqi negotiators did not want coalition
forces to take possession of these properties and an agreement was reached that
allowed Iraq to retain control of the palaces, maintain a small numerically
controlled security force on the grounds, and that coalition forces would not
enter the properties.
   Of far greater value to coalition forces, however, was the airfield at Sirsenk.
The airfield was a DESERT STORM~amaged runway, which, when repaired,
could accommodate C-130 aircraft. The airfield was being looked at as the key
supply point for JTF-B in northern Iraq.   Soldiers, Sailors, and Airmen worked
feverishly for six days to repair the damaged runway.  By 14 May, the airfield
was operational, and a key logistical forward base in Iraq had been established.
   Another key element in PROVIDE COMFORT's logistical network involved
Marines and Sailors from the 3d Force Service Support Group (FSSG), which
was based with III Marine Expeditionary Force on Okinawa.       Early in the
operation it became apparent that additional skills resident in the landing support
battalion of an FSSG would be needed.     Consequently, a request was sent from
CTF headquarters asking for two companies to meet combat service support
requirements. As the flow of relief supplies grew, the need for this unit became