40 die as US hits Iraq mosque; Turkey concerned on clashes

By: Hamoud Kufi

BAGHDAD, Iraq: US forces in a fierce battle in Falluja on Wednesday bombed a mosque, leaving up to 40 people inside dead.

American officials said the United States is looking into the report that US missiles hit the Abdul-Aziz al-Samarrai mosque. At the Pentagon, defense officials said they had received no report on such an attack.

Witnesses said a helicopter fired three missiles into the compound, destroying part of a wall surrounding the mosque but not damaging the main building.

Until the mosque attack, reports said more than 150 Iraqis died in fighting for Ramadi and Fallujah. At least 30 Americans were also reported killed.

Meanwhile, Foreign Ministry Spokesman Namik Tan said on Wednesday in a weekly press conference that his country was concerned about Shiite-US clashes in Iraq and stability in Iraq was among Turkey's priorities.

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