THE Foreign Secretary has said he hopes Scotland's decision to remain as part of the UK will inspire Iraqis to remain united.

Philip Hammond was in Baghdad for talks with Iraqi prime minister Haider al-Abadi, who took office last month at the head of a new administration intended to be more inclusive of the country's many ethnic and religious groups.

After the meeting he appeared at a joint press conference with Iraqi Foreign Minister Ibrahim al-Jaafari.

Mr Hammond said: "I hope that the experience of Scotland will be a useful model for Iraq.

"The Scottish people looked long and hard at the question of separation and they decided they were better off in the United Kingdom, stronger and safer in the United Kingdom."

Mr Hammond said that allied air strikes against Islamic State militants have halted the jihadists' advance in Iraq and degraded their military capabilities.

In a show of support for Mr Abadi's government, Mr Hammond said the UK was determined to "play its part" in helping Iraqis combat the IS fighters.

The Foreign Secretary said: "We've always understood that the air campaign alone was not going to be decisive in turning the tide against Isil.

"But it has halted the Isil advance, it has forced Isil to change its tactics and it is degrading their military capabilities."

Confirming the UK Government's position that there will be no British "boots on the ground" in Iraq, Mr Hammond added: "The heavy work on the ground is going to have to be done by Iraqi forces."

His visit came amid fears that the key Sunni province of Anbar in western Iraq could be about to fall to IS. The province's police chief was killed on Sunday when his convoy was hit by a roadside bomb close to the capital, Ramadi.

Following last month's emergency Commons vote, RAF fighter bombers have been attacking IS targets in Iraq in support of the US-led coalition.

Mr Hammond said: "Isil's violence makes no distinction between the cultures, countries and religions it attacks.

"The action the UK has taken to date, including air strikes and surveillance flights, shows the UK will play its part in standing with the Iraqi people in their fight against Isil."

The UK is also to provide £230,000 for bomb disposal training for Peshmerga forces.

Meanwhile the Ministry of Defence has issued a call-out order under the Reserve Forces Act 1996 to enable reservists to be called into service as part of the UK's contribution to operations in Iraq.

Armed Forces Minister Mark Francois said: "We anticipate calling out only a small number of primarily RAF reservists."

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