UK hands control of Basra to Iraqi forces
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BASRA, Iraq  - Britain handed over security in Basra province to Iraqi forces on Sunday, effectively marking the end of nearly five years of British control of southern Iraq.
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British troops will formally take a back seat to Iraqi forces in the southern province of Basra on Sunday with the handover of security responsibility to government troops.
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The United States formally handed over   control of Iraq's new military to Prime Minister Nuri   al-Maliki's government on Thursday just as rebels unleashed a   fresh wave of deadly bomb attacks on Iraqi security forces.
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The British Ministry of Defense saidSaturday that the Black Watch regiment has completed its mission standing in for US troops in central Iraq and returned to its basein the southern Basra area.
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BASRA, Iraq  - British troops were quitting the southern Iraqi city of Basra overnight in a move that will end the British presence in the oil hub for the first time since the U.S.-led invasion that toppled Saddam Hussein in 2003.
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The US-led coalition in Iraq formally hands control of the country's armed forces to Prime Minister Nouri Maliki.
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British forces release two dozen Iraqi prisoners, though UK government denies doing deal with Mahdi army to stave off last-minute attacks in run-up to withdrawal from Basra.
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The US military formally hands over control of the notorious Abu Ghraib prison near Baghdad to Iraq.
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British troops were quitting the southern Iraqi city of Basra on Sunday night in another step towards handing over the province to Iraqi control and paving the way for an eventual withdrawal of British forces from Iraq.
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BASRA, Iraq  - British troops quit the Iraqi city of Basra on Monday, leaving the southern oil hub without British forces for the first time since the U.S.-led invasion that toppled Saddam Hussein in 2003.
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After handing control of Basra province to Iraqi authorities at the weekend, British officials are hoping the region's economic development will hasten its path towards stability.
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BASRA, Iraq - British troops were quitting the southern Iraqi city of Basra last night in another step toward handing over the province to Iraqi control and preparing for an eventual withdrawal of British forces from Iraq.
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BASRA, Iraq  - British troops were quitting the southern Iraqi city of Basra on Sunday night in another step towards handing over the province to Iraqi control and paving the way for an eventual withdrawal of British forces from Iraq.
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BRITAIN agreed today to send 850 British soldiers closer to Baghdad, freeing up US troops to step up attacks on insurgent strongholds.
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Iraqis welcomed the news on Wednesday that Britain and Denmark are preparing to dramatically scale back their military forces in and around the unruly southern port city of Basra.
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BAGHDAD - British troops and armor rolled north from Basra yesterday to take over a deadly area near Baghdad and free up US troops for a widely expected attack on the Iraqi rebel-held city of Fallujah.
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Al-Qaeda's deputy leader says the UK handover of security in Basra shows Iraqi insurgents are gaining strength.