Geoff Hoon visits troops in Basra

Hoon is spending the day in Basra

Defence Secretary Geoff Hoon is on a visit to Iraq's southern city of Basra, the Ministry of Defence has confirmed.

During the 24-hour trip, Mr Hoon has already met British troops and visited the provincial administration's HQ.

His visit comes as two Britons were killed in an explosion in Baghdad which has claimed at least 11 lives.

Mr Hoon said: "We believe we can play a very useful part in helping to rebuild Iraq. Crucial to that is the security of Basra and the rest of the country."

He repeated that British troops would remain in Iraq after the handover of sovereignty on 30 June.

But the approval of the new interim government was required beyond that date, he said.

Dozens injured

During his visit Mr Hoon had talks with the province's vice-governor Hassan Rashid.

Last month, he announced the deployment of another 370 British troops to Iraq, bringing Britain's strength in the country to 8,900. The majority are based in Basra.

The blast victims in Baghdad are believed to have been among a convoy of western contractors killed as a car bomb exploded in a busy city street in rush hour.

Dozens of people were also injured in the blast, which happened in the early morning and destroyed a building in Tahrir Square.

A spokeswoman for the Foreign Office refused to reveal details of the British victims and said next of kin were being told.

Further British casualties were possible, she added.