Afghan President Hamid Karzai says his security forces will soon take charge of security in seven areas around the nation — the first step toward his goal of having Afghan police and soldiers protecting the entire nation by the end of 2014.

In a speech Tuesday in Kabul, Karzai said the provincial capitals of Lashkar Gah in southern Afghanistan, Herat in the west, Mazer-e-Sharif in the north and Mehterlam in the east are slated for transition from NATO-led forces to Afghan soldiers and police in July.

He says all of Bamiyan and Panshir provinces, which have seen little to no fighting, are on the transition list.

Also slated for transition is Kabul province, except for the restive Surobi district.