US says Iraqis to be in charge of borders by July

Iraqi government security forces will take responsibility by July of this year for securing all of Iraq's borders, a top US commander said on Friday, giving them control over frontiers with Iran and Syria.

The measure is part of steps by US forces, which are engaged in fighting a bloody insurgency and sectarian strife, to let the Iraqi army and police take control over more territory and enable Washington to reduce its troops.

"There's 3,631 kilometers (2,200 miles) of borders. And by this summer -- July -- Iraq security forces will be responsible for security along that entire front," Army Lt. Gen. Martin Dempsey, who heads the US effort to train and equip Iraqi security forces, told reporters at the Pentagon from Iraq.

Iraq shares borders with Syria, Turkey, Iran, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia and Jordan and US and allied forces initially took responsibility for overseeing the border after invading it three years ago.