ROME, Aug. 13 (Xinhuanet) -- Italy is starting to withdraw troops from Iraq, about one month ahead of scheduled, local media reported on Saturday.

    The withdrawal process was put forward because 130 Marines in southern Iraq had finished their mission and it is pointless to replace them as Italy had planned to pull out 300 troops in September, a spokesman of the Italian contingent in Nassiriya was quoted as saying.

    The 130 troops will leave for home soon, he said.

    An official of the Italian Defense Ministry, who refused to be named, said the decision was purely logistical and financial, rather than political.

    Italy has some 3,000 troops in Iraq, the fourth largest foreign contingent there after the United States, Britain and South Korea. Most of the Italian forces are deployed in southern Iraq. Enditem