Iraq Takes Control Of Wasit Province From US -- Yahoo News/AFPKUT, Iraq (AFP) – Iraq took over from US forces on Wednesday control of the central Shiite province of Wasit, which US commanders say is often used by Iranian groups to smuggle weapons to launch attacks in Iraq.
Wasit became the 13th of Iraq's 18 provinces to be handed over by US-led forces to Baghdad amid an overall improvement in security across the violence-wracked country.
"We received today the security responsibility of Wasit province," national security advisor Mowaffak al-Rubaie said at a ceremony held at a football stadium in the provincial capital of Kut, south of Baghdad.
He said Wasit had achieved a level of efficiency and ability in civil and security affairs.
The transfer comes within a week of nearby Babil province being returned to the Iraqis.
With it, US forces will now retreat to their bases and participate in security operations only at the request of the provincial governor.
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My Comment: Forward progress in Iraq again.