Control of Najaf base handed to Iraqis - wistv.com - Columbia, South Carolina |

Control of Najaf base handed to Iraqis

(Najaf, , Iraq-AP) September 6, 2005 - The U.S. Army has handed over its base in Najaf, giving Iraqis full control of the city about 100 miles south of Baghdad.

Officials say today's handover is the first step in transferring security across Iraq so multinational forces can begin to go home.

But U.S. forces aren't ready to leave the area altogether.

They've moved to another base farther outside Najaf so they'll be available to help in a major security crisis.

Najaf is the holiest city in Iraq for Shiite Muslims. It was the scene of heavy fighting last year between the U.S. Army and the militia of radical Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr.

Posted 9:13am by Bryce Mursch