CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: In northern Iraq, Kurdish peshmerga troops have played a key role in helping coalition forces gain control of major northern cities. But as Julian Manyon reports, the conflict has dredged up old animosities between the Arabs and the Kurds.</s>JULIAN MANYON, ITV NEWS CORRESPONDENT: American armor moving towards the oil city of Kirkuk. The aim, to secure key installations and end the insecurity that continues to plague cities freed from Saddam's rule in northern Iraq. Kirkuk itself is now relatively calm with American troops guarding the governor's office and stationed in key parts of the oil fields at refineries and well heads. But in the other northern city Mosul, the anarchy goes on. This man is one of scores of victims of interethnic violence between Arabs and Kurds. He was brought to a hospital that is now guarded against looters by Kurdish and American troops. The hospital's chief doctor is contemptuous of coalition statements about the results of the war.</s>UNIDENTIFIED MALE: They speak frankly, it is freedom. Freedom for to loot, freedom to kill.</s>MANYON: Outside in the streets, there is gun law. Checkpoints manned by armed civilians have sprung up as Arabs seek to defend their property from the victorious Kurds. The vigilantes deny supporting Saddam Hussein but express anger about their situation.</s>UNIDENTIFIED MALE: No one to protect us. Is this liberation? No, this is occupation.</s>MANYON: The checkpoints have managed to recover a small percentage of the goods stolen by the looters. A crazy assortment of items ranging from computers to dentist chairs is now stored in local mosques. (on camera): In the city, the power of the Saddam regime has been broken, but instead of a flowering of democracy, it seems that virtually every street is full of men with guns. The coalition will have to act swiftly to restore stability if the operation, which has been named Iraqi Freedom, is not to be badly tarnished. Julian Manyon, ITV News in Mosul.
Ethnic Tensions in Northern Iraq