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| Iraq |
| Maliki says Iraqis to take over province in July |
| 2006-06-20 |
| BAGHDAD - Iraq’s prime minister said on Monday his forces would take over security in the southern province of Muthanna in July, where the British oversee a multinational contingent including Japanese troops. Muthanna would be the first of Iraq’s 15 provinces outside of the relatively peaceful Kurdish north to come under full Iraqi control. “Muthanna is the first Iraqi province that will have the honour of being transferred from multinational forces to Iraqi forces,” Prime Minister Nuri Al Maliki told a news conference. ”The security file will be handed over completely next month and we will determine the exact date later on”. Maliki made his comments hours after Britain’s Defence Minister Des Browne arrived in Baghdad for a two-day visit. |
| Posted by:Steve White |