Paris  - A large gang of youths armed with buckshot and stones left a number of police officers lightly injured overnight in a Parisian suburb, a police spokesman said Sunday.

About 100 young people were involved in the violence, the spokesman told French radio, adding that eight were arrested.

The number of policemen hurt were originally reported as 21, but later reduced to 10.

According to early reports, the rioting began when police responding to a call concerning a burning car were "ambushed" by an waiting band of youths in the Les Mureaux suburb. A number of homemade incendiary devices were also discovered at the scene.

The suburb of 32,000 people has seen a number of violent incidents over the past week, after the death of a 29-year-old man at the hands of police. Police in that incident say they were acting in self- defence. dpa