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| Miliband in Iraq to visit troops | Miliband in Iraq to visit troops |
| (10 minutes later) | |
| UK Foreign Secretary David Miliband has flown into Baghdad on a surprise visit, ahead of the July pullout of UK troops. | |
| He is expected to meet Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki and Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari during his first visit since April 2008. | |
| Mr Miliband is also due to meet British troops stationed in the southern province of Basra on Friday. | Mr Miliband is also due to meet British troops stationed in the southern province of Basra on Friday. |
| UK forces have lost 178 of troops since the 2003 invasion and currently have a 4,100-strong force in the country. | |
| They handed over control of Basra airport, the main military base in southern Iraq, on 1 January and have been training the Iraqi army. | They handed over control of Basra airport, the main military base in southern Iraq, on 1 January and have been training the Iraqi army. |
| Mr Miliband is expected to see evidence of improved stability in the region when he meets members of the newly-elected provincial council. | Mr Miliband is expected to see evidence of improved stability in the region when he meets members of the newly-elected provincial council. |
| Senior figures including French President Nicolas Sarkozy and German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier have also been to the country this month. | Senior figures including French President Nicolas Sarkozy and German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier have also been to the country this month. |
| UK Prime Minister Gordon Brown said during a visit to Iraq in December that Britain's mission would already be completed "by the end of May, or earlier". | UK Prime Minister Gordon Brown said during a visit to Iraq in December that Britain's mission would already be completed "by the end of May, or earlier". |
| Iraqi leaders have invited foreign firms to invest in the oil-rich state as security improves. | Iraqi leaders have invited foreign firms to invest in the oil-rich state as security improves. |