The channel run by the Kurdistan Democratic Party of Massoud Barzani showed pictures from Zaweta camp, on the edge of Dohuk, about 55 kilometresmiles) north of Mosul.

Some 90 Arabs, including ex-soldiers from Saddam Hussein's army, and more than 40 Kurds, were shown under the charge of American officers.

The US overseer in Iraq, Paul Bremer, announced June 2 that the coalition would start recruiting for a new Iraqi army by the end of the month in the face of mounting protests by jobless demobilised soldiers.

A coalition official said a force of 40,000-50,000 would be sufficient for Iraq, whose army fielded 10 times as many men under Saddam but was comprehensively defeated by the US-led forces who toppled the Iraqi strongman in April.

WAR.WIRE