FACTBOX-Main players in Iraq's Basra province

Dec 16 (Reuters) - Britain will hand over security control of the southern Iraqi province of Basra to Iraqi forces at a ceremony on Sunday. Following are the main players in Basra city:

SADR MOVEMENT

Loyalists of Shi'ite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr are widely seen as the most influential group on the streets of Basra. Sadr's political movement and Mehdi Army militia have popular support. Critics accuse them of using violence to impose strict Islamic rules, a charge Sadrists deny.

The Sadrists recently signed a truce with other major Shi'ite parties, agreeing that militia members would not carry guns openly as long as security forces do not target them.

Sadr opposes the idea of federalism for the south.

SUPREME ISLAMIC IRAQI COUNCIL

The Supreme Islamic Iraqi Council (SIIC) has a strong following in Basra and, like the Sadrists, has built up support by running charities to help the poor.

The party, engaged in a power struggle with Sadr's followers across much of the south, joined Sadr in opposing the governor of Basra, who belongs to the smaller Shi'ite Fadhila Party.

The Supreme Council favours the creation of a large federal region with wide autonomy that would include the nine southern mainly Shi'ite provinces.

FADHILA PARTY

The Fadhila Party is a small Shi'ite Islamist party which has little clout in other parts of the country but controls the position of governor in Basra. Fadhila is believed to have influence in the Southern Oil Company, which through exports from Basra supplies nearly all of the government's funds.

The party's spiritual leader is Sheikh Mohammed al-Yaqoubi, a student of Moqtada al-Sadr's father, a connection that has heightened rivalry between the groups.

Fadhila, fearful of plans for a Shi'ite super-region which might be controlled from the holy city of Najaf, favours autonomy for Basra.

SECURITY FORCES

Iraq has 30,000 soldiers and police to keep the peace in Basra. They are commanded by army Lieutenant-General Mohan al-Furaiji and police chief Major-General Abdul-Jalil Khalaf, both of whom were appointed in June as part of the central government's plan to combat militia influence.

The commanders have spoken out against militia violence, making them popular with Basrawis. U.S. and British commanders rank them among the best generals in Iraq. Furaiji has survived four assassination attempts and Khalaf has survived six.

BRITISH FORCES

After the handover of Basra, 4,500 British troops will remain at their airport base on the city's outskirts, but that number is due to be halved by the middle of next year.

The small British force will have a rapid reaction unit able to assist Iraqi forces if they request help, and will also have a small training mission. (Baghdad newsroom; writing by Mussab Al-Khairalla; editing by Peter Graff and Elizabeth Piper)