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Hammond in Iraq to meet country's new prime minister

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.

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Hammond: UK role in Syria 'absolutely not ruled out'

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".

Defence Secretary Philip Hammond. Credit: REUTERS/Mike Theiler

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

We absolutely have not ruled out playing a role in Syria. We will require further parliamentary approval if we decide that that is the right thing for us to do.

We would see this as a military question - is there a militarily useful role that UK assets could play?

If Centcom [US Central Command] commanders see a specific role for UK military assets, I am sure that they will not be slow in requesting them.

– Philip Hammond

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