Baghdad CNN —US Secretary of State Antony Blinken made an unannounced visit to Iraq Friday to meet with Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani as the international community grapples with the implications of the Syrian government’s collapse. The US is also closely watching the Iranian-backed militias in Iraq, who have targeted US personnel and interests in the past. Blinken asked Sudani to crack down on Iranian supported militias in Iraq and prevent Iran from transiting weapons through Iraq to Shia militias in Syria, a US official said. Blinken noted that Syria is in a fragile state so it is important that nobody, especially Iran, does anything that would add to destabilization, the official said. Sudani said they do not want to be dragged into a conflict, the official said without providing further characterization of the Iraqi prime minister’s response.

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