Iraq blast rocks Italian police HQ

An explosion rocked the headquarters of the Italian police in the southern Iraqi city of Nassiriyah today and there could be some injuries, officials said.

A bomb went off at about 10.40am local time (7.40am Irish time) at the multinational specialist unit in the southern city, police said in Rome.

They said that the explosion occurred in front of the base, near the Iraqi chamber of commerce.

“From the initial reports, there may be wounded among the Iraqi population and Italians,” the statement said.

Italy has sent about 2,500 troops to help the reconstruction in Iraq.