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Secretary of State John Kerry Lands in Baghdad on Unannounced Visit

Secretary of State John Kerry made an unannounced visit to Baghdad on Friday.
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Secretary of State John Kerry made an unannounced visit to Baghdad on Friday to show support for Iraq's fight against ISIS.

Image: Ambassador Stuart Jones greeted Kerry in Baghdad.
Ambassador Stuart Jones greeted Kerry in Baghdad.JONATHAN ERNST / AFP - Getty Images

The trip was aimed at underscoring America's "strong support" for the Iraqi government and Iraqi-led efforts to fight ISIS, State Department spokesman John Kirby said.

After arriving in Baghdad, Kerry met with his Iraqi counterpart and with Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi.

He also will meet with the leader of the semi-autonomous Kurdistan Regional Government, which has made significant gains in beating back ISIS fighters.

Kerry's trip to Baghdad followed a trip to Bahrain for a meeting with allies in the Gulf.