Turkish driver killed in Iraq: report

Another Turkish truck driver has been killed in Iraq three days after a Turkish hostage was executed by a radical Islamist group, private television NTV reported on Thursday.

According to the report, Osman Alisan, who was working as a fuel truck driver, was killed in an armed attack in Iraqi town of Filfil, 70 kilometres away from the Turkish border.

No contact had been made with him since Monday.

Alisan, a father of three, had taken the job of transporting fuel to US forces based in Iraq in order to pay off his debts.

Alisan's wife was quoted as saying that the family owed 4 billion Turkish Liras (2,700 US dollars) for water and power bills and 15 billion Turkish Liras (more than 10,000 dollar) to the state agricultural co-operative.

Meanwhile, Anatolia News Agency reported Thursday that Selahattin Turan, a Turkish truck driver, was abducted in Iraq.

Emin M. Deger, chairman of the Turkey-Iraq Friendship Association, was quoted as saying that Turan, working for the Deger Transportation Company, was kidnapped by unidentified persons as he was on his way back from Iraq to Turkey.

"Witnesses told us that Turan unloaded his truck near Iraqi capital Baghdad. As he was getting prepared to return to Turkey, he and another driver, who could not be identified yet, were abducted," Deger added.

Earlier, some Turkish drivers were kidnapped in Iraq. Murat Yuce was killed in Iraq by a group linked to al-Qaida ally Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, while some other hostages were freed.