Posted on 02/29/2004 6:45:43 AM PST by knighthawk
An Estonian soldier has been killed by a roadside bomb in Baghdad, the first from his country to die in Iraq, a military spokesman said.
The 21-year-old soldier was part of a 12-man foot patrol when the bomb exploded on Saturday, the spokesman said, adding that earlier US military reports he was shot trying to defuse the device proved false.
The dead soldier was named as Junior Sergeant Andres Nuiamae. No other soldier was hurt in the blast.
Besides the United States, 35 countries have soldiers in Iraq. The Baltic state of Estonia has contributed a small force.
US-led occupation forces blame guerrilla attacks on supporters of Saddam Hussein and foreign Islamic militants.
"This is a very painful reminder that the situation in Iraq has not stabilised yet and common efforts by coalition troops to restore peace are necessary," Estonian Prime Minister Juhan Parts said in a statement.
The nation of 1.2 million is due to join NATO, expected in April, and the European Union in May after more than a decade of post-Soviet reforms.
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