Thursday, September 21, 2006
Italy hands over control of Dhi Qar province
Security
Italy today handed military control of the southern province of Dhi Qar to Iraqi police and military forces during a ceremony in Nassiryah, continuing a withdrawal promised by Prime Minister Romano Prodi. ``We've met our objective, and the mission is accomplished,'' Italian Defense Minister Arturo Parisi said today in a televised speech made during the ceremony. ``We're pulling out our military contingent, but it doesn't mean we're turning our backs on Iraq.''
Romania also has a battalion of about 402 soldiers in Dhi Qar out of a total of 628 in the country. Romania last month said it would withdraw some of its troops from Iraq as the government takes over military control
