A Sept. 7 article incorrectly reported U.S. troop strength in Iraq's Anbar province. There are 32,000 U.S. forces there.
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U.S. Forces Give Iraqis Full Control Of Najaf
Iraqi soldiers in the holy Shiite city of Najaf celebrate during the ceremony marking the transfer of security responsibility from the U.S. military to Iraqi forces.
(By Mohammed Hato -- Associated Press)
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"There's always [the] possibility of little spurts of violence here and there," Boylan said, but for U.S. forces now, "the top priority is foreign fighters and the Iraqis who support them."
About 400 U.S. soldiers left the base in Tuesday's handover, Lt. Col. James Oliver, commander of Forward Operating Base Hotel, told reporters, and "more will leave in the future."
The United States, which has 138,000 troops in Iraq, is pushing for major withdrawals to begin in early spring. Iraqi and U.S. officials had identified Najaf as one of the first places where the United States could draw down its forces. Other cities in the heavily Shiite south, and in the Kurdish north, are likely to be next.
The mostly Shiite Iraqi force assuming command here immediately renamed the post Base Karrar, or Base Warrior, a reference to one of Shiite Islam's most important figures, Ali, a cousin of the prophet Muhammad.
"Our forces are capable of defending the city," said Abdul Hussein Abdulridha Abtan, Najaf's deputy governor. "They are able to defeat the biggest terrorist operation."
Some residents of Najaf welcomed the handover.
"It is a happy event for Iraqis when we take care of our affairs, not the occupier," said Mustafa Hamdani, 19, a university student. "But we want them to continue [to] train our soldiers."
Others, however, expressed concern.
"It's true we would prefer not to have U.S. forces in the city -- but we need them," said boutique owner Aqil Farhan, 25. "The Iraqi forces are not capable of maintaining security yet."
Fekeiki reported from Baghdad.
