Article: Brown flies into Basra to tell troops of handover

Prime Minister Gordon Brown flew into Basra last night for a surprise visit to British troops - and announced the province is to be handed over to Iraqi control within two weeks.

He broke the news as he addressed servicemen and women at Basra air station after completing talks by telephone with the Iraqi prime minister, Nouri Maliki.

Mr Brown said: "I have just talked to Prime Minister Maliki and he asked me to pass on his thanks to you for what you have done to help rebuild the democracy of Iraq.

"It's because of all the operations we have done over the past few months that the security situation has not only improved but he is now recommending we move to provincial Iraqi control within ...

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