Maliki wants control of security in Basra in 3 months

In December, British troops raided, then destroyed the al-Jameat police station in Basra for death squad and toruture activities. A similar raid on the National Iraqi Intelligence Agency detention facility in central Basra in March -- again for torture activities -- was angrily denounced by Maliki.

Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki wants his forces to take over security in the southern province of Basra from British troops within three months, his office said on Thursday.

Maliki made the comment to new British Prime Minister Gordon Brown in a telephone conversation on Thursday, the Iraqi leader's office said in a statement.

"Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki confirmed the intention of Iraq's forces to assume the security file of Basra within three months," the statement said.

Britain has handed security responsibility back to Iraq in three of four southern provinces, with only Basra remaining.

Read the rest at Reuters/Alternet

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