Iraq blast kills Italian soldier

An explosives attack on an Italian military patrol in southern Iraq killed one soldier and wounded four others tonight, reports in Rome said.

Admiral Gianpaolo Di Paolo announced the death during a military ceremony in Rome for the Carabinieri paramilitary police.

In a separate statement, the Italian military said the explosion occurred early this evening about 60 miles north of Nasiriyah, where the Italians are based.