Iraqi army forces will withdraw from all cities and the capital on July 1st, and local police will take full responsibility for local security, the Iraqi Ministry of Interior said Tuesday (February 7th).

"Military and security leaders in Iraq agreed to transfer responsibility for security in all Iraqi provinces and cities from the Ministry of Defence to the Ministry of Interior as of July 1st," Lt. Gen. Ahmed al-Khafaji, deputy secretary of the Iraqi Interior Ministry for federal security, told Al-Shorfa.

Al-Khafaji said the Interior Ministry drew up a three-point plan to complete the mission. The army will gradually hand over responsibility for security and return to its military bases outside cities and on Iraq's international borders to perform its regular duties.