One Turkish Hostage Killed In Iraq As Two Others Still Held

BAGHDAD (CIHAN) - A Turkish truck driver, who was kidnapped in Iraq, was killed by militants of the Tawhad and Jihad group of Abu Musab Al Zarkavi an ally of Al Qaeda.
A Videotape showed a masked man firing his pistol into the head of the hostage while he was seated in a chair.
It was the first time since the Iraqi war that a Turkish hostage was killed. Several Turks were kidnapped in Iraq but they were later released.
The tape showed the Turkish driver reading a statement in Turkish calling on the Turkish people to fight against the infidels and not to aid and supply US forces. The statement said that Turkish drivers and companies have ignored calls to stop supplies to US forces in Iraq.
The killed driver was identified as Murat Yüce from the central Turkish province of Corum.
On Saturday, Qatar based Al Jazeera satellite channel aired videos of Turkish drivers Abdurrahman Demir and Sait Unurlu who were abducted by militants of the Abu Musab Al Zarkavi. The drivers were carrying supplies to US forces.
The Turkish Foreign Ministry, however, has not yet confirmed reports of the killing of the Turkish truck driver.
The captors had threatened to behead the Turkish hostages unless Turkish construction firms operating in Iraq leave the country within 48 hours. It was not clear when the drivers were abducted. The deadline for two hostages is to expire this evening.
Kahramanli Company announced on Sunday that they stopped all activities in Iraq to meet the demands of Iraqi militants.
Meanwhile, another Turkish driver was killed in gunfire in Baghdad when a Turkish truck convoy came under attack by Iraqi insurgents.
A Turkish driver held hostage in the Iraqi city of Mosul was handed over by his captors to his brother on Thursday and returned to Turkey on Saturday.
One Turkish oil truck driver was reportedly killed and another kidnapped in northern Iraq in the city of Kirkuk last week.
In June, seven Turkish workers were kidnapped in Iraq but the captors later released them.
Iraqi militants had killed two Pakistani workers in Iraq last week.
Several Turkish drivers and workers have been killed or taken hostage in Iraq for helping or delivering supplies to the US forces there.