RAMADI, Iraq, Dec. 29 (Xinhuanet) -- The provincial government of the volatile Anbar province is to form its own military brigade from local recruits to replace US troops, a provincial officialtold Xinhua on Thursday.

   "We have concluded a deal with the US troops about forming amilitary brigade consisting of local residents to control the Anbar province after the departure of the US troops," a provincial council member said on condition of anonymity.

   The provincial council appointed Jan. 2, 2006, as the date forrecruits to come up to register their names in the new brigade, hesaid.

   The council has agreed with the tribal leaders of the province to urge their sons to join the new brigade in order to replace the US occupation troops, which concentrated in the restive Anbar cities to halt daily bloodshed, he added.

   After the battles in Fallujah in April 2004, the US troops previously formed a brigade there comprising the former Saddam Hussein's army, but they dissolved the brigade before the November battles late in the year.  Enditem