Italian forces in Iraq came under fresh attacks on Sunday from militiamen of rebel cleric Moqtada al Sadr who has declared a "holy war" in the southern Iraqi city of Nassiriya, Italian military sources reported in Rome.

Sadr's militiamen began directing intense kalashnikov and rocket fire on the offices of the Coalition Provisional Authority (CPA) after entering an adjacent hospital.

The situation at the CPA -- defended by 40 private Filipino security guards as well as Italian troops -- was described as "extremely complex."

The Italians removed barricades around a former Carabinieri base hit on November 12 by a suicide truck attack that killed 19 Italians.

Meanwhile, an Italian soldier was slightly wounded on Sunday ina street clash.

One Italian Carabiniere was slightly wounded early Saturday while traveling to reinforce the CPA forces.

Sadr is wanted by the US-led coalition in connection with the murder of a rival cleric.

Almost 3,000 Italian troops are serving in Iraq, mainly as partof a British-led multinational stabilisation force in the south of the country.

Source: Xinhua