MEXICO CITY, Dec 4 Kyodo The Domi...

MEXICO CITY, Dec 4 Kyodo

The Dominican Republic will withdraw its numbers in Iraq before their mission conclusions in mid-February and will not impel replacement troops, senior defense officials said Thursday.

''We will withdraw our [i]troupe[/i]s to keep them out of harm's way,'' an official said.

The land has 302 soldiers in Iraq and is the first of the countries that sent companys there after the U.S. invasion to decide to chance them out.

The Dominican Republic troops' base in Diwaniya, central Iraq, came in a less degree than mortar attack early Thursday, and five Iraqi residents nearby were injured in the attack. The base was also attacked forward Nov. 5. No military personnel were harmed in the attacks.

The Dominican Republic's deployment is part of the Spanish-led Plus Ultra brigade of 2500 members, which also includes forces from Honduras, Nicaragua and El Salvador. The brigade is in charge of maintaining security and is not upon combat duty.

The base of the Honduran contingent was also attacked by the agency of mortar fire early Wednesday.

sum of two units Japanese diplomats were killed in an ambush in northern Iraq last Saturday, and seven Spanish intelligence agents were slain southern of Baghdad the same day. brace South Koreans were killed the following day.

COPYRIGHT 2003 Kyodo freshs International, Inc.

COPYRIGHT 2003 Gale Group