A Dutch soldier died overnight after being wounded in a grenade attack in the south Iraqi town of Samawa, the Dutch defense ministry said in a communique. The death was the first to hit the Dutch contingent in Iraq. Another Dutch soldier was wounded in the attack which happened Monday around 1750 GMT on a Samawa bridge. "One of the seriously injured died from his wounds after he was taken to the Dutch base at Camp Smitty," the ministry said. An Iraqi police officer had said earlier that a passing cyclist threw a grenade at a four-man Dutch patrol in the centre of the town, 270 kilometres (170 miles) from Baghdad. Dutch Prime Minister Jan Peter Balkenende, who is currently on a visit overseas, reacted with "horror" to news of the death, his press department said. He was to cut short his trip and return to the Netherlands as quickly as possible. "With his 1,300 colleagues or so, the killed soldier had come to Iraq to send a sign of hope to the population," the press department quoted the prime minister as saying. Defense Minister Henk Kamp, who is also outside the country, will also return earlier than planned. **Honduras begins troop withdrawal from Iraq*** Honduras has begun its troop withdrawal from Iraq, as the first of its 369 soldiers arrived in Kuwait, Honduran President, Ricardo Maduro, has announced in an interview broadcast from Tokyo. "I'm pleased to officially announce to the Honduran people that we have begun withdrawing our soldiers from Iraq and that some of them are already in Kuwait," Maduro said. Honduras and the Dominican Republic decided to pull their troops out of Iraq last month, following Spain's decision to do the same. The Honduran soldiers and some 300 Dominican troops were attached to the 1,400-strong Spanish-led brigade in Najaf, 160 kilometers (100 miles) south of Baghdad. Maduro did not specify how many troops had left Iraq, but said preparations for a full withdrawal were well under way and that all the troops would soon return to Tegucigalpa. He refused to provide dates on the pullout "for the security of the soldiers." Madro is on a tour of Japan, Spain and Italy aimed at promoting foreign investment in Honduras. **PHOTO CAPTION*** Armed Iraqis, loyal to Moqtada Sadr, demonstrate in the holy city of Najaf, south of Baghdad.(AFP)