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British army to hand over security of Basra to Iraqis Sunday

By Xinhua

Baghdad : The British forces will hand over control of security in Basra province to the Iraqi forces on Sunday or Dec. 16, Iraqi government said on Wednesday.

“The handover of Basra will take place on Dec. 16,” cabinet spokesman Ali al-Dabbagh told reporters in Iraq’s second largest city of Basra, some 550 km south of Baghdad.

Dabbagh’s comments came hours after a triple car bombing struck the center of Amara City, capital of neighboring province of Maysan, which killed 42 people and wounded some 125 others.

“It (Amara bombing) has nothing to do with Basra, and the handover of responsibility for security will go ahead on the 16 of this month,” he said.

“The quality of security forces here is excellent,” he added.

Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki said in Basra on Tuesday that Iraq was progressing “step by step” in total security across the country.