Danish soldier killed by roadside bomb in Iraq

COPENHAGEN, Mar 24 (Reuters) A Danish soldier was killed in southern Iraq on Thursday after his patrol vehicle hit a bomb by the side of the road near the city of Basra, the Danish central army command said.

''I can confirm that one Danish soldier was killed by a roadside bomb in Iraq,'' a Danish army spokesman told Reuters yesterday, adding that one other soldier was injured in the incident.

Denmark has about 530 troops serving in Iraq under British command. Three Danish soldiers have died in action in the country since the start of the US-led occupation in 2003.

Danish Prime Minister Anders Fogh Rasmussen condemned what he described as a ''terror attack'' on the soldiers and said Danish troops would not be withdrawn from Iraq.

''I made clear that Denmark will stay in Iraq, we are in Iraq to assist the Iraqi people in achieving freedom, peace and prosperity,'' he told Reuters after a meeting of European leaders in Brussels.

''It is not up to the terrorists to decide the future of Iraq. The future of Iraq should be decided by politicians.

''It is our intention to stay in Iraq as long as it is on the request of the Iraqi government and as long as it is supported by the UN and we think we can make a positive difference,'' he said.

Reuters DH VP0530