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Clinton on surprise visit to Iraq after wave of attacks

BAGHDAD: US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton on Saturday arrived in Baghdad on a surprise visit, which came as a wave of violence engulfed the country just weeks before US troops leave Iraqi cities.

Clinton landed in the Iraqi capital around 8.30 am (0530 GMT), a day after two suicide attackers killed 55 Shiite pilgrims at a shrine in the city, and less than 48 hours after a similar attack killed dozens in a northern town.

Clinton said she would be analysing the security situation amid a spike in bombings that have killed more than 250 people this month, and as US soldiers start to pull out of cities and major towns across the country. "I will be meeting of course with General Ray Odierno and I want to hear first hand his assessment," Clinton said, referring to the senior US army officer in Iraq and noting the deadly suicide attacks on Thursday and Friday.

I want his evaluation of what these kinds of rejection-ist efforts mean and what can be done to prevent them by both the Iraqi government and the US forces," she told reporters travelling with her.

The secretary of state was scheduled to meet Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki, President Jalal Talabani, other senior government officials and the United Nations Secretary General's special representative to Iraq Staffan de Mistura. Clinton's arrival came just hours after the new US ambassador to Iraq Christopher Hill landed in Baghdad to take up his post.

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