US air strikes kill over 40 people in western Iraq

US air strikes on villages near Qaim town on Tuesday killed more than 40 people and wounded dozens, the pan-Arab al-Jazeera TV channel reported.

"US aircraft pounded a house at about 2:00 a.m. (2200 GMT Monday,) inhibited with three families, in Karabla village," the channel quoted witnesses as saying.

"Thirty people are still under debris and only five wounded civilians transferred to medical center, which was also attacked by US aircraft. Some workers were wounded in the attack," medical sources were quoted as saying.

Four hours later, a second house was destroyed by US aircraft in another air strike on al-Salman village near Qaim, killing 15 people, the channel said.

The US military did not confirm the report.

Qaim town on the Syrian border and villages nearby have been a scene of battles between insurgents and US forces.

Source: Xinhua