U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry is in Iraq on an unannounced visit as the government faces the challenge of countering Sunni Islamist militants who have captured wide areas in the northern and western parts of the country.
Kerry arrived Monday in Baghdad and was scheduled to meet with Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki as well as Sunni and Kurdish leaders.
He will continue U.S. pressure for Mr. Maliki to be more inclusive in his Shi'ite-led government, which has faced criticism for shutting out Sunnis and Kurds and breeding sectarian tensions.
Kerry discussed Iraq and the threat posed by the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant - ISIL - as he met Sunday with his counterparts in Egypt and Jordan. He told reporters in Cairo that if Iraqis want a more inclusive government, the United States will help.