Frattini later sent an Italian military and police contingent to Iraq, in what he called a "humanitarian emergency intervention". An Italian contingent of about 3,200 men was sent to Iraq shortly after the official end of large-scale military operations (Bush's announcement of 1 May 2003). On 15 July 2003, the "Operation Ancient Babylon" began at the dependency of the British forces in the southern Dhi Qar province, centered in the town of Nassiriya where the Italian Barbara Contini was charged with civilian administration by the Coalition Provisional Administration. A suicide attack there killed 19 Italians, among military and civilians. Other clashes in the Italian sector occurred during the fights between the Shiite militiamen of the Mahdi Army and the coalition troops (spring-summer 2004), including the "battle of the bridges" of 6 April 2004 in Nassiriya, in which the Italian Bersaglieri made about fifteen casualties among Iraqi insurgents and civilians.