Hammond in Iraq to meet country's new prime minister

Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond has said that Britain and the US do not see the use of western ground troops as "the right way" to take on Islamic State.

He said it would only serve to "feed the narrative" of the Islamist extremists, and reiterated that British personnel would only serve in a training capacity.

He was speaking during a visit to Iraq to meet the country's new prime minister Haider al-Abadi.

Islamic State is a brutal terrorist group unrepresentative of the people of Iraq, the Middle East, or of the Islamic faith, the Foreign Secretary has said.

Speaking from Baghdad, Philip Hammond said: "IS's violence makes no distinction between the cultures, countries and religions it attacks.

"If it is left unchecked, we will face a terrorist and criminal cabal with a declared and proven determination to attack anyone who doesn't agree with its twisted ideology."

He said the the action the UK had already taken showed it would play its part in "standing with" the Iraqi people in their fight against the militants.

Mr Hammond said the formation of a new Iraqi government was "a critical first step" to addressing the challenges facing Iraq.

He added: "It is now vital that all communities in Iraq work together to overcome those challenges. To do this, it will be important for interior and defence ministers to be appointed quickly and for Kurdish ministers to take up their positions in Baghdad."

Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond is in Iraq to meet the country's new prime minister Haider al-Abadi.

Hammond said he was holding discussions on combating extremism and improving national unity.

As many as 2,000 British jihadists are fighting with Islamic State militants in Syria and Iraq, Labour MP Khalid Mahmoud claims.

The politician said more UK youngsters than ever were being recruited by the terror group.

He told the Sunday Mirror: "The official figures are a huge understatement. The true figure of British radicals in Syria and Iraq is closer to 2,000. Still the numbers are rising."

Defence Secretary Michael Fallon has said Islamic State can only be eliminated by troops on the ground and not just air strikes.

However he said the Government had no authority to commit British troops to Syria to assist the Kurdish fighters in the war against the militants.

Defence Secretary Philip Hammond indicated that he would be prepared to go back to Parliament to extend British military action into Syria, if the US military considered it "militarily useful".

Speaking at a joint press conference with US Secretary of State John Kerry he said:

Defence Secretary Philip Hammond has admitted that there wasn't anything the coalition could do to make a "fundamental difference on the ground" in Kobani.

Speaking last night, he told the BBC:

Read: Islamic State fighters push further into Kobani

Islamic State militants will not be defeated "overnight", the Foreign Secretary has warned.

Philip Hammond also told ITV News Washington Correspondent Robert Moore that the Government could yet bring another parliamentary vote on deploying British air power over Syria.

Read: John Kerry hints protecting Kobani is not priority