Iraqis take control of Mosul airport

US forces handed over its first military quarters in Ninewa province at Mosul civil airport, the province''s governor said. Atheel Nujaifi said the handing over of the airport to the Iraqi forces and ministry of transport is the first actual withdrawal of the U.S. forces from the province. He added that the Iraqi Ministry of Transport was now in charge of the control tower and the airport, and hopes to control the air space within the coming two days. The U.S. forces have been stationed in Mosul airport as its main base in the province since the US invasion of Iraq in 2003. Mosul, the center of NInewa province, lies 405 km north of the capital, Baghdad.