Baghdad (NINA) - Two bases were handed back to the Government of Iraq Feb. 1 in accordance with the U.S. - Iraq Security Agreement.

A statement issued on Tuesday, Feb. 2, by the American Army said, "The historic Ma'moon Palace and the Sharqat Joint Coordination Center were both transitioned back to the GoI from the 4th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division. Sameer al-Haddad, the Iraqi Receivership Secretariat, signed for both centers."

It added, "The Ma'moon Palace was built as a place to celebrate Saddam Hussein’s birthdays, and it still contains ornate chandeliers, columns, and decorative tiled floors and ceilings."

It went on, "Previously the palace served as the Tikrit Joint Coordination Center where the Iraqi Security Forces, government officials and U.S. Army Soldiers coordinated emergency response functions for Tikrit."

The statement continued, "With the transition of the Ma'moon Palace, Lt. Col. Robert Cain, commander of the 2nd Battalion, 32nd Field Artillery Regiment promised to continue partnerships with the ISF and GoI."

"We continue to support the resolution by the Iraqi government to reduce the number of troops and the number of bases that we occupy in Iraq,” Cain said.

"Even though we're reducing the number of bases throughout the country of Iraq, we are continuing to support the Iraqi government and the Iraqi Security Forces throughout the entire province and we'll continue to support them up until the last day that we're here in Iraq," he continued.

He went on saying, "It's very symbolic. This place is a piece of their history and they understand it. It's very well kept up for what it's gone through." / End.