Iraqi forces have taken complete control of the fortified Green Zone in Baghdad, as U.S. troops prepare to withdraw from the country.
With the handover Tuesday, Iraq security forces will guard all entry points to the international zone, which houses government offices and foreign embassies.
The Green Zone was demarcated after the 2003 U.S.-led invasion that toppled Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein.
The United States is planning to withdraw all but 50,000 soldiers from Iraq by September, and to withdraw the rest next year.
Some information for this report was provided by AP, AFP and Reuters.