A dozen Italian soldiers who served in the Balkans have developed cancer and lawmakers have been pressing the government for answers.
 
Fears are growing that the health of British troops in Kosovo may have been put at risk by ammunition used in the conflict by Nato forces.

Italian Defence Minister Sergio Mattarella has ordered an investigation into cancer cases among national soldiers who served in Kosovo and Bosnia.

Italian and British troops were among the first to enter Kosovo as part of Nato's KFOR force.

There are fears the cancer cases are linked to ammunition containing depleted uranium used by US warplanes during the 78 day bombing campaign.

One Portuguese soldier has already died, and there are believed to be two more soldiers in Italy possibly suffering from uranium poisoning.

A dozen Italian soldiers who served in the Balkans have developed cancer and lawmakers have been pressing the government for answers.

The cases include three veterans of peacekeeping duty in Bosnia who died of leukaemia last year.

Another four soldiers involved in aircraft maintenance also died of cancer, the Milan daily Il Giornale has reported.

The Italian investigation is being headed by Antonio Intelisano, the military prosecutor.

A United Nations team in Kosovo is doing a similar study. Their report is expected early next year.

NATO has said that US warplanes operating in Kosovo fired armour-piercing rounds containing depleted uranium during last year's campaign.

There have already been warnings that the health of Gulf War veterans could be at risk from particles of depleted uranium.

Former US colonel, Doctor Asaf Durakavic told an international doctors' conference that he had found a "significant presence" of the particles in two-thirds of the 17 veterans he had tested.