April 6 (Bloomberg) -- Eleven Italian soldiers were injured in clashes with Iraqis loyal to Shiite Muslim cleric Moqtada al- Sadr over the control of bridges in Nassiriyah, Ansa news agency reported citing Colonel Giuseppe Perrone.

The 11 soldiers were ``slightly injured'' by firearms, Perrone said. Italians fought with ``a few hundred Iraqis,'' he said, without detailing Iraqi casualties. Italian soldiers yesterday clashed with protesters loyal to al-Sadr in the streets of Nassiriyah.

``There were still groups of insurgents in the city who ignored the request to keep the bridges clear,'' Perrone, the spokesman for Italy's military contingent in Iraq, told Ansa. ``There was therefore the use of force by Italian military aimed at renewing order and legality.''

Rioting Sunday in Baghdad and Najaf left at least 40 Iraqis and eight U.S. soldiers dead. Nineteen Italians were killed in a suicide attack on their base in Nassiriyah in November. Eight Iraqis were also killed. Italy sent 2,700 police and soldiers to Iraq in June and July last year.

(Ansa 4-6)

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