Powell makes surprise Iraq visit

Around 30 journalists walked out of Colin Powell's press conference

US Secretary of State Colin Powell says the coalition's planned transfer of sovereignty to Iraq's US-appointed Governing Council is "on track".

Mr Powell spoke to reporters during a surprise visit to the Iraqi capital, Baghdad, where he also met soldiers.

A group of Arab journalists walked out of his news conference in protest over the deaths of two Iraqi journalists allegedly shot by US troops.

Mr Powell said he "regretted" the journalists' deaths.

The two Iraqis working for the Dubai-based satellite television channel al-Arabiya reportedly came under fire from US troops near a road checkpoint in central Baghdad on Thursday.

The team's cameraman, Ali Abdelaziz, was killed in the incident.

Journalist Ali al-Khatib died on Friday morning in hospital, one of the station's correspondents in Baghdad said.

At the news conference, Mr Powell conceded there had been "a spike in violence" but stressed that the coalition forces were working hard to reduce it.

He also said the US-led coalition was "still strong", despite recent concerns voiced by Spain, Poland and South Korea.

Victory pledge

Mr Powell's visit comes amid a fresh wave of violence in the country.

On Thursday, a car bomb killed at least five people in Basra. A day earlier, at least seven people were killed in a blast at a Baghdad hotel used mostly by foreigners.

The State Department is not disclosing Powell's itinerary

Speaking to US soldiers and coalition staff at coalition headquarters earlier in the day, Mr Powell said militants trying to destabilise Iraq would be defeated.

"There are those who are determined to stop us... They are striking back in every way they can."

A year after the start of the war in Iraq, the US military says the main threat in the country now comes from foreign extremists, rather than from former Saddam Hussein loyalists.

The US secretary of state praised the work of US soldiers and coalition staff.

"You and your buddies have removed a horrible dictatorial regime that was a threat to its own citizens, a threat to the region and a threat to the world."

The White House has said the insurgents will not deter the coalition's plans to rebuild Iraq.

Mr Powell travelled to Baghdad from Kuwait City, where he held talks with officials on the first leg of a Middle East tour.

He arrived in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on Friday evening for talks with Saudi leaders.