Ground Campaign: Following the successful air campaign, coalition forces launched a large-scale ground offensive on February 24, 1991. This phase of the war lasted only four days and was designed to push Iraqi forces out of Kuwait. The ground forces met with relatively light resistance as the Iraqi military had been significantly weakened by the air campaign.
Ceasefire and Liberation: On February 28, 1991, Iraq accepted a cease-fire agreement proposed by the United Nations, formally ending the war. Coalition forces liberated Kuwait and restored its sovereignty. The Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein remained in power, despite calls for his removal from some coalition members.
Humanitarian Crisis: The war left behind a significant humanitarian crisis in both Kuwait and Iraq. Many Kuwaiti citizens had been subjected to human rights abuses and detention by Iraqi forces during the occupation, leading to efforts to provide aid and support to those affected.
Kuwait Oil Fires: As Iraqi forces retreated from Kuwait, they set fire to numerous oil wells, causing environmental damage and creating massive oil spills in the Persian Gulf. The extinguishing of these oil fires became a major effort post-war, and it took several months to fully extinguish all the fires.
Post-War Sanctions and Inspections: Following the war, the United Nations imposed sanctions on Iraq to ensure its compliance with international resolutions. These sanctions had a devastating impact on the Iraqi economy and population. In addition, UN weapons inspectors were deployed to monitor and dismantle Iraq's weapons programs, leading to years of inspections and confrontations between Iraq and the international community.
Shi'ite and Kurdish Uprisings: The end of the war led to uprisings by Shi'ite Muslims in southern Iraq and Kurds in the northern part of the country. Both groups felt marginalized and oppressed by the central Iraqi government. The uprisings were suppressed by Saddam Hussein's forces with considerable bloodshed.
These events collectively shaped the aftermath of Operation Desert Storm and had lasting regional and global consequences, including the ongoing political challenges and conflicts in the Middle East.