ROME, April 6 (Xinhuanet) -- Eleven Italian soldiers were slightly wounded on Tuesday in clashes with supporters of Shi'ite Muslim leader Moqtada Sadr in the southern Iraqi town of Nasiriyah, ANSA news agency reported.

    The clashes occurred when Italian soldiers were trying to disperse several hundred Shi'ites blocking bridges in the town, about 375 km south of Baghdad, the report said.

    Three soldiers were hit by gunfire and eight others received cuts and bruises.

    Shi'ite leaders in Iraq confirmed that armed supporters of Sadrhad fought Italian troops of the US-led occupation forces in Nasiriyah.

    Neither side gave any indication of Iraqi casualties.

    The violence was part of a surge of unrest led by Sadr, a cleric fiercely opposed to the US-led occupation.

    The US-led coalition on Monday issued an arrest warrant against Sadr, who was allegedly involved in the murder of a rival cleric.

    Sadr's supporters rallied in Baghdad and four other cities. Eight US troops and a Salvadoran soldier were killed in clashes over the weekend.

    About 2,500 Italian troops are serving in southern Iraq in a multinational force under British command.

    A suicide bombing on the Italian headquarters in Nassiriya killed 19 Italians in November 2003. Enditem