In Iraq, the Kurdish region won de facto self-rule in 1991, when the United States imposed a no-fly zone over it in response to Saddam’s brutal repression of Kurdish uprisings.

Source: https://sentinelcolorado.com/news/nation-world/world/kurds-remain-biggest-winners-from-us-led-invasion-of-iraq/

While Western governments largely ignored Saddam’s Anfal campaign in the 1980s, they were more supportive of Iraqi Kurds in the aftermath of the Gulf War, instituting a no-fly zone to protect them against aerial attacks.

Source: https://foreignpolicy.com/2023/03/22/iraq-kurdistan-region-democracy-war-invasion-united-states/