Dutch forces in Iraq officially handed over command of their Camp Smitty base to British troops on Monday marking the end of the 20-month Dutch mission in the country, Radio Netherlands said.

The handover ceremony was attended by Dutch Chief of Defense Staff Lieutenant-General D. L. Berlijn and a number of local Iraqi officials.

The Netherlands has 1,350 troops stationed in Iraq. During their stay in the al-Muthanna province, the force trained about 3,300 Iraqi security officers.

Radio Netherlands said the troops will stay on at Camp Smitty for a week to help familiarize their British counterparts with procedures before returning to the Netherlands.

However, a Dutch helicopter detachment will remain in Iraq for a further month and the commander of Dutch forces in Iraq, Lieutenant-Colonel Frits van Dooren, will be the last Dutch soldier to return home.

(Xinhua News Agency March 8, 2005)