Last US base received by Iraq

BAGHDAD / IraqiNews.com: The Iraqi government announced today receiving the last US base in Iraq. The base is situated in Thi Qar province.Two  radars, alongside other equipment worth a total of 76 million dollars were left to the Iraqi forces, the US army announced. The Iraqi representative receiving the base, Hussein al-Asadi, told IraqiNews.com that the government was handed over Imam Ali air base, which is base no.505. He added that one of the radars was installed with Iraqi funds, while the other was a present from the US army. Iraqi air space shall be monitored by these two radars, as he confirmed. It  is  expected that this base will be empty within the coming 72 hours, provided that the last soldier will leave on  25 December 2011. Imam Ali air base, called by the Americans Al-Talil, was established in 1976 in the vicinity of historical Ur town. It became one of the basic air bases in southern Iraq, where 4,000 soldiers were stationed. Iraqi Squadron 70  is stationed in the base to monitor and defend the borders, as well as electricity towers and oil pipelines, in addition to extend support during the religious festivities. Nassiriya, center of Thi Qar province, lies365 km south of the capital, Baghdad. RM (TI)/SR 1438