Despite continued violence in the country, Tony Blair has reiterated his commitment to the January 30 date for Iraqi elections.

The prime minister insisted that the first popular vote of the post-Saddam Hussein era should go ahead even though insurgents are continuing their campaign of violence.

His comments came a day after the governor of Baghdad, Ali al-Haidri, was killed in a roadside shooting.

Meanwhile, a bomb in a western district of Baghdad on Wednesday was reported to have killed two Iraqi civilians and wounded 10 others.

But Blair gave his backing to the need to press ahead with elections.

"I am committed to it because I think it is extremely important that the terrorists don't gain a victory," he told the BBC.

"Whatever the original conflict and the removal of Saddam... nobody in Iraq wants Saddam back.

"The vast majority of Iraqis want to participate in these elections.

"The question - and this is what this conflict is now about, it is not about us versus Saddam - it is about a group of terrorists and insurgents who want to stop the Iraqi people having a democratic say."

Stressing his determination to stand firm against the terrorists, the prime minister said the coalition's aim "has got to be to defeat them".

"Establishing democracy in Afghanistan has been a huge blow against this worldwide terrorism," he added.

"Establishing democracy in Iraq, allowing Iraq to become a democratic country, that would be a massive blow to everything they are trying to achieve."