Barack Obama, the US president, has arrived in Baghdad on an unannounced visit, hours after a car bomb exploded in a Shia neighbourhood of the capital.

Obama arrived in the Iraqi capital on Tuesday, after the bomb went off - a reminder of the violence that has gripped the country since the US invaded in 2003.

Obama is spending his day at Camp Victory, where will speak to some of the 140,000 US troops stationed in the country.

Some reports said that Obama would meet in person with Nuri al-Maliki, the Iraqi prime minister, though earlier officials said that they would only speak on the phone.

Obama's trip comes at the conclusion of his European tour, which had officially ended with two days in Turkey, his first visit to a Muslim nation as president, where he told Turks that the US "is not and will never be at war with Islam".

He also called for a greater partnership with the Muslim world.

Obama has already announced plans to withdraw most US combat troops from Iraq on a 19-month timetable.

Despite this, US troops will provide security for the Iraqi elections and as many as 50,000 troops are expected to remain in the country at the end of the 19 month.

Tuesday's trip was Obama's third to Iraq, and his first since taking office. He met with US commanders and troops last summer while seeking the presidency.

Because of security concerns, the White House made no prior announcement of the visit, and released no advance details for his activities on the ground.