Iraq's government has begun the process of taking over command of the country's armed forces from the U.S.-led coalition.
The hand-over occurred in the capital Baghdad today, five days after it was postponed over details of the arrangement.
Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki now has control over the country's small air force and navy, and one of Iraq's 10 army divisions.
A U.S. military spokesman says the other army divisions will eventually come under control of Iraqi forces, perhaps at the rate of two divisions a month.
Violence continued in Baghdad, with a series of bombings killing at least 14 people and wounding more than 30. The deadliest attack took place at a gas station used by police, where a suicide car bomber killed 10 people.
The U.S. military also announced today that two American soldiers were killed in separate incidents Wednesday in Iraq.