Iraq: Britain hands over command of Basra to US army

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Source: CCTV.com | 04-01-2009 08:27

In Iraq, the British military has transferred command of the southern Iraqi province of Basra to the US.

The British troops had been stationed at Basra's air base since the invasion of Iraq in 2003.

In this image made available by the Ministry of Defence in  London, Tuesday March 31, 2009, Britain's Major General Andy  Salmon, left, former head of coalition operations in South  East Iraq, shakes hands with US General Michael Oates to  hand over military command of coalition forces in Basra,  at a ceremony at Basra International Airport, Iraq, Tuesday  March 31, 2009. (AP Photo/Adrian Harlen, MOD, ho)

The departure is part of an agreement signed between Iraq and Britain in November in which Britain pledged to complete the pullout of its last 4,100 soldiers from Iraq by July of this year.