KIRKUK (Iraq), Aug 1: With the clock coming full circle for them, a number of Arabs have either been killed here or have been expelled from this troubled city, it was learnt on Friday.

In recent weeks at least 10 Arabs have been killed by people of Kurdish origin, some residents told Dawn.

Residents confirm that fighting had broken out between the Kurds and Arabs after the fall of Saddam’s government and was still continuing in certain parts of the city.

According to a local businessman, the villages south of Kirkuk were particularly affected by the policy of forced expulsions. He claimed that the Kurds were not the only people who were involved in the campaign. “The Turkmens are also involved.”

The Arab, who works for a private organization, said the tribe that was affected most adversely was called Al-Shummar. The people of this tribe, he said, had to flee four villages south of Kirkuk, namely Al-Mustansir, Khalid, Al-Wahda and Umar ibn Al-Khattab.

He further claimed that the policy of “ethnic cleansing” had the direct blessings of the top leadership of the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan.

The deputy commander of the US army unit charged with helping manage the civilian affairs in Northern Iraq, Maj James L. Bullion, also said there was fighting between the Kurds and Arabs in Kirkuk soon after the defeat of Saddam’s men in the latest Iraqi war. “Yes, we have had people who tried to reclaim their property which had been given to the Arab families during Saddam Hussein’s rule.

The major said the people who tried to expel the Arabs from the city were either Kurdish in origin or Turkmen. He claimed that the US troops had intervened on behalf of Arab families to stop excesses.

Sounds of gunfire are not uncommon in Kirkuk, and traffic thins out by 10 pm.

Power breakdowns are frequent but whenever one of these occurs most people press their generators into service. The communications system has collapsed and if you want to call even cities inside Iraq, you have to go to a call centre on Jamhouriya Street.

Fax and internet services are available in only a couple of the shops here. About half, or may be more, of the shops remain closed perpetually. It seems that the owners have had to leave the city.

The best hotel in town charges $55 for a night. It may not be full but it is doing satisfactory business. An average hotel charges between $20 and $40 for a night.

Difficult times since the fall of Saddam’s government have facilitated the growth of the informal sector of the economy. You see edible oil and flour bags bearing the stamp of the World Food Programme (WFP) being openly sold on Al-Thawra Street.