Iraq’s government on Friday took command over another army division in the north, a US general announced, in an apparent demonstration of the US’s commitment to accelerate the handover of military control to Nouri al-Maliki, prime minister.

Mr Maliki said after his summit with President George W. Bush in Amman that all Iraqi security forces would be ready to come under his command by next June. Mr Bush said he had listened to Mr Maliki’s “frustration” at not having the tools to do his job.