'Safe Haven' play brings story of Iraqi Kurds’ no-fly zone to London stage

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - London’s Arcola Theatre staged Safe Haven, a powerful play recounting the creation of the no-fly zone over northern Iraq - a pivotal moment that protected Iraqi Kurds from the brutal oppression of Saddam Hussein’s Baath regime.

Presented in collaboration with HeronBrook Advisory, the play ran from January 14 to Saturday, immersing audiences in the history and resilience of the Kurdish people.

Performances were accompanied by traditional Kurdish music and songs, adding an authentic cultural dimension to the storytelling.

Written by Chris Bowers, a former British diplomat and journalist, Safe Haven traces the efforts of Kurdish diaspora communities and their international allies to secure protection for northern Iraq.

With support from the United States, the United Kingdom, and France, the no-fly zone ultimately halted Saddam Hussein’s deadly air campaigns against Kurdish civilians.

The play highlights how this intervention transformed the lives of Iraqi Kurds and laid the foundation for the region’s autonomy today.

In March 1991, emboldened by Saddam Hussein’s weakened position after the Gulf War, Iraqi Kurds rose in revolt. In response, the regime unleashed terror, forcing hundreds of thousands to flee into the mountains without water, food, or medical care - leaving hundreds to die each week.

On April 6, following a UN Security Council resolution condemning Baghdad’s repression, Operation Provide Comfort began. The US, UK, and France established the no-fly zone and delivered humanitarian aid, saving countless lives and creating the conditions for the Kurdistan Region’s self-governance.

Safe Haven brings this critical chapter of Kurdish history to life, reminding audiences of both the human cost of oppression and the enduring impact of international solidarity.

“I had a vision. I saw the diplomatic story. I saw the role of the diaspora, and I saw the role of the Kurdish people in the mountain… I saw the three on a stage,” Bowers said of his debut play.

“Of course, maybe we should make a film as well,” he added.

“We had to lobby hard in Europe to convince the allies to change their policy and come ot the rescue of the displaced population and then protect them, take them home,” said Dlawer Ala'Aldeen, president of the Erbil-based Middle East Research Institute (MERI).

“Many, many people were involved,” he said, adding that “I was one of the activists.”

Mazlum Gul, an actor in the play, portrays Ala’Aldeen as well as Barzan Ibrahim al-Tikriti, the half-brother of Saddam Hussein and a central figure in the Baathist regime’s security apparatus.

Barzan previously headed Iraq’s Mukhabarat intelligence service and later served as Iraq’s ambassador to the United Nations. He is widely seen as responsible for massacres and crimes against humanity committed against the Kurds.

Speaking about his role as Ala’Aldeen, Gul said, “I also have passion inside me, and I am Kurdish, I understand the struggle.” He added that researching al-Tikriti’s role was essential to accurately portraying the character.


Zinar Shino contributed to this article from London.