One Turkish hostage killed in Iraq

Turkey's foreign minister Abdullah Gul expressed regret over the killing of the Turkish citizen Murad Yuji by the hands of his kidnappers. He said that his country will exert its utmost efforts to rescue the other Turkish hostages held there. Feelings of shock and sadness overwhelmed Yuji's family and his three children after they followed up the video taped operation of killing the hostage and his wife called for bringing back his body.

A spokesman for the US Department Of State strongly condemned the execution of the Turkish hostage and stressed Washington's determination to withstand what he called " the terrorist threats" of holders of hostages.

According to the tape, the kidnappers forced the hostage before his killing to read a statement demanding the Turkish companies to stop its work in Iraq and condemning the American military presence.