US military hands over former headquarters to Iraq

By IANS,

Washington : Camp Victory, the US military headquarters in Iraq, has been handed over to Iraqi authorities, BBC reported Friday.


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Camp Victory is in the grounds of a huge palace complex built near Baghdad airport by slain Iraqi president Saddam Hussein.

Saddam Hussein was later imprisoned there prior to his execution.

The camp, in the past, had housed over 40,000 military personnel.

Just five US bases in Iraq remain to be handed over as America prepares to withdraw by the end of December.

The palace complex also contains artificial lakes, islands and even a small zoo.

After the US-led invasion, the American military operation in Iraq was run from the 62-room al-Faw palace. Senior generals lived in the 20-room al-Ez palace.

BBC said the area became an American town with fast-food chains and a bus service.

After his capture, Saddam Hussein was housed in a villa on an island within the complex. US troops interrogated the former president until he was handed over to Iraqi authorities and executed in 2006.

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