Hundreds of vehicles filled the roads leading to the key oil centre, which the Kurds want to govern despite strong warnings from Turkey.

Many of the returnees said they hoped to recover their homes and property confiscated by Saddam Hussein's regime under a policy of "Arabisation" which saw many Kurds thrown out of the city.

Others said they wanted to see relatives still living in Kirkuk.

Many hoped their homes had been deserted by their Arab occupants, but some said they were prepared to recover them by force.

SPACE.WIRE