Sept. 21 (Bloomberg) -- Italy today handed military control of the southern province of Dhi Qar to Iraqi police and military forces during a ceremony in Nassiryah, continuing a withdrawal promised by Prime Minister Romano Prodi.

``We've met our objective, and the mission is accomplished,'' Italian Defense Minister Arturo Parisi said today in a televised speech made during the ceremony. ``We're pulling out our military contingent, but it doesn't mean we're turning our backs on Iraq.''

Parisi said Italy's civilian mission would continue. Italy lost 39 military police and soldiers during its three-year mission, including Corporal Massimo Vitaliano, 25, killed today in a road accident. Yesterday, Corporal Giuseppe Orlando, 28, was killed in Afghanistan when his armored vehicle flipped in a curve during a regular patrol, the defense ministry said.

In keeping with a pledge made during this year's election campaign, Prodi announced Italy's military withdrawal from Iraq during his first speech after taking office in June, calling the 2003 war that toppled Saddam Hussein a ``grave mistake'' that has increased the risk of Middle East violence. The pullout is scheduled to be completed by the end of the year.

Former Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, one of U.S. President George W. Bush's closest allies in Europe, sent more than 3,000 soldiers and military police to Iraq after the fall of Baghdad to help provide security in and around the city of Nassiriyah. Before the April 9-10 elections, Berlusconi had also pledged to complete a withdrawal by the end of this year.

Italy still has about 1,300 soldiers in Afghanistan, and is dispatching 2,500 troops to take part in the United Nations peacekeeping force to police the cease-fire between Israel and Hezbollah.

To contact the reporter on this story: Steve Scherer in Rome at sscherer@bloomberg.net

Last Updated: September 21, 2006 05:25 EDT