Italian forces ended their mission in Iraq today after handing over the southern province they patrol to Iraqis.
The force of 1,600 Italians will be home within eight weeks; it has been under British command in Iraq's mainly Shia southern sector.
The province also includes a giant US air base that will not be turned over, near ruins of the ancient city of Ur. A task force of 450 Australians will stay on that base as a rapid reaction team.
Dhi Qar is the second of Iraq's 15 non-Kurdish provinces to be turned over to Iraqi forces after the Japanese pulled out of mainly desert Muthanna province, also in the south, two months ago.
"This is a great day in Iraq's history," Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki said at a ceremony in the provincial capital Nassiriya. "Muthanna was first, now comes Dhi Qar to crown this victory, and other provinces will come to crown further victories until we reach our goal."
Britain has also pulled out of its main base in a third province, Maysan, leaving British troops in the south largely confined to Basra, Iraq's second largest city.
In both Maysan and Muthanna, the bases that were evacuated by the withdrawing foreign troops were promised for Iraqi forces, but they were ransacked by looters within hours of the foreigners leaving.
The withdrawal of the Italians means the two allies that invaded Iraq in 2003, the United States and Britain, are now the only countries with large forces left in Iraq. which the United Nations says has become deadlier than ever.