▁war . ▁ ▁British ▁hand ▁M uth anna ▁province ▁to ▁Ira q is ▁ ▁On ▁ 1 2 ▁July ▁ 2 0 0 6 , ▁Ira q ▁took ▁full ▁control ▁of ▁the ▁M uth anna ▁province , ▁mark ing ▁the ▁first ▁time ▁since ▁the ▁invasion ▁that ▁a ▁province ▁had ▁been ▁handed ▁from ▁foreign ▁troops ▁to ▁the ▁Ira qi ▁government . ▁In ▁a ▁joint ▁statement , ▁the ▁U . S . ▁amb assador ▁Z al may ▁K hal il z ad ▁and ▁the ▁U . S . ▁commander ▁in ▁Ira q , ▁General ▁George ▁Case y , ▁ha iled ▁it ▁as ▁a ▁mil estone ▁in ▁Ira q ' s ▁cap ability ▁to ▁govern ▁and ▁protect ▁itself ▁as ▁a ▁" so ver eign ▁nation " ▁and ▁said ▁hand o vers ▁in ▁other ▁provinces ▁will ▁take ▁place ▁as ▁conditions ▁are ▁achieved . ▁" With ▁this ▁first ▁transition ▁of ▁security ▁responsibility , ▁M uth anna ▁demonstr ates ▁the ▁progress ▁Ira q ▁is ▁making ▁toward ▁self - ▁govern ance ", ▁the ▁statement ▁said , ▁adding ▁that ▁" Multi - National ▁Forces ▁will ▁stand ▁ready ▁to ▁provide ▁assistance ▁if ▁needed ." ▁At ▁the ▁ceremony ▁mark ing ▁the ▁event , ▁Ira qi ▁Prime ▁Minister ▁N ouri ▁al - Mal iki ▁stated , ▁" It ▁is ▁a ▁great ▁national ▁day ▁that ▁will ▁be ▁registered ▁in ▁the ▁history ▁of ▁Ira q . ▁This ▁step ▁forward ▁will ▁bring ▁happiness ▁to ▁all ▁Ira q is ." ▁ ▁For ward ▁Oper ating ▁Base ▁Cou rage ▁handed ▁over ▁to ▁N ine ve h ▁province ▁government ▁