IRAQ - Jan 31 - Blast Kills 100th British Soldier.

A British soldier is killed by an explosion in southern Iraq, becoming the 100th UK service member to die in the campaign since the US-led invasion in 2003. In a sign of the political sensitivity of the milestone, Def Sec John Reid took the rare step of announcing the 100th death to reporters outside the ministry headquarters. "It's an appropriate time to reflect on the determination, courage, professionalism and sacrifice of our armed forces themselves, and of the families who also sustain them there", he said. "Every single one of the deaths is a tragedy". Three other soldiers were hurt, one seriously, in the blast, which took place on Jan 31 morning in the southern port of Umm Qasr in Basra province, the ministry said, giving no further details. The 99th soldier died on Jan 29 when his patrol came under fire in Maysan province. The deaths in Iraq came just days after Reid announced an ambitious new three-year British mission in southern Afghanistan, which will bring NATO peacekeepers into that dangerous part of that country for the first time. The Afghanistan plans were drawn up at a time when British leaders were hoping to draw down their forces in Iraq quickly, starting early this year. But unrest in southern Iraq has so far held up plans for a British withdrawal. Tony Blair's official spokesman said the PM was "deeply saddened by the death, as he has been by all those members of the forces who have died in Iraq. His thoughts and those of the government are with the families". He added that there had been three elections in Iraq over the last year. "The PM believes it's worth persevering with that struggle because we are making progress". The defence ministry did not give the identities of the soldiers involved in Jan 31 blast, who were from the 7th Armoured Brigade, the main British force in Iraq. "I can confirm that a British soldier died from injuries sustained as a result of an explosion at approximately 8:34 local time in Basra province", a spokesman said. The three injured soldiers were being treated at Britain's Shaiba base nearby. Of the 100 Britons, 77 are listed as killed in action and the rest died through accident or illness. Britain has about 8,000 troops in southern Iraq. Commanders say the area has become more dangerous over the past 8-9 months as guerrillas have developed deadlier forms of roadside bombs.