Special report: Tension escalates in
Iraq
BAGHDAD, Sept. 6 (Xinhua) -- Iraq and the
Multi-National Forces will sign an agreement on Thursday to hand over the
command of the Iraqi armed forces to the Iraqi government, Iraqi Prime Minister'
spokesman said.
"An agreement is to be signed over the handover of
the military command from the Multi-National forces to the Iraqi army," Ali
al-Dabagh told reporters in a news conference.
Iraq's Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki and the U.S.
military commander General George Casey, who currently has operational command
of Iraqi units, will attend the ceremony, Dabagh said.
The agreement was to be signed on last Saturday but
was delayed for a dispute rose on the Iraqi side.
Under the agreement, an Iraqi joint military command
for the army, navy and air force is expected to be formed, which will gradually
take full operational control of Iraq's armed forces, including 115,000
U.S.-trained ground troops. Enditem
