DHAKA: US secretary of state John Kerry has landed in Baghdad in Iraq at the start of a Middle East tour to build support for action against Islamic State (IS).

Kerry is due to meet new Iraqi PM Haidar al-Abadi less than 48 hours after a unity government was agreed, reports the BBC.

An inclusive government was a condition for greater US and Nato support in the fight against IS militants who have taken over large parts of the country.

President Barack Obama is due to outline his plans to combat IS later.

He said on Tuesday that he had authority to widen military action against IS without the approval of Congress, but said he would still ask lawmakers to endorse the arming of Syrian opposition forces.

IS militants have taken over large parts of Syria and Iraq in recent months and have declared a ‘caliphate’.

In the past month, IS militants have beheaded two US journalists in protest against American airstrikes on its forces in Iraq.

BDST: 1452 HRS, SEP 10, 2014