Italy deploys more soldiers against mob

ROME, Sept. 24 (UPI) -- The Italian government responded Tuesday to an increase in mob killings by approving a task force of 500 soldiers to fight organized crime.

Four hundred of the soldiers will be sent to Caserta near Naples, the Italian news agency ANSA reported.

On Thursday, the owner of an amusement arcade in Castelvolturno reputed to have ties to the Casalesi Camorra clan was gunned down. Less than half an hour later, six African immigrants were killed at a clothing store in a massacre investigators believe was drug-related.

The Camorra is the Neapolitan counterpart of the Sicilian Mafia.

The government has already sent 400 additional police officers to Caserta. Last summer, 3,000 soldiers were sent to a number of major cities, and Defense Minister Ignazio La Russa said the 500 troops would be on top of those forces.

In 1992, Italy sent 150,000 soldiers to Sicily for six years after two judges were killed.