Britain formally handed over security control of the southeastern province of Basra to Iraqi forces on Sunday.
During a ceremony at an airport base, British and Iraqi representatives signed a memorandum of understanding to formalize the handover.
Iraqi soldiers march during a handover ceremony in Basra, Iraq's second-largest city, on Sunday. British forces formally handed over responsibility Sunday for the last region in Iraq under their control. (AP Photo/Nabil al-Jurani)
The commander of British forces in Basra, Maj. Gen. Graham Binns, said the city had been pulled from the grip of its enemies.
"I now formally hand it back to its friends," Binns said shortly before adding his signature to papers relinquishing responsibility for the region, home to most of Iraq's oil reserves.
Binns said British forces would remain to help the Iraqis, but he promised his soldiers would not try to direct security efforts.
"We will continue to help train Basra security forces. But we are guests in your country, and we will act accordingly," he said.
Basra is the ninth out of the 18 Iraqi provinces to be handed over to the Iraqi forces by coalition troops since the U.S.-led invasion to topple President Saddam Hussein's administration four and a half years ago.
Britain was the only country to send a large contingent, numbering 40,000 troops, to back the United States during the 2003 invasion.
British officials have said they are reducing the number of troops in the country from 4,500 to 2,000 by spring.
The contingent has never succeeded in winning over the predominately Shia Muslim population. A total of 174 British personnel have died in Iraq since 2003.
U.S. President George W. Bush predicted in January that Iraq would assume control all of its provinces by November, but the target date has slipped repeatedly, highlighting the difficulties in developing Iraqi police forces and the slow pace of political progress.
U.S. forces retain control of nine of Iraq's provinces, including Baghdad and some of the country's most volatile areas, such as Diyala and Anbar.
With files from the Associated PressRelated
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