Crossword Genius

Strike Iraqi leader surrounding a country (5)

Ross

I believe the answer is:

haiti

'country' is the definition.
(Haiti is an example)

'strike iraqi leader surrounding a' is the wordplay.
'strike' becomes 'hit' ('hit' can be a synonym of 'strike').
'leader' indicates taking the first letters.
'surrounding' indicates putting letters inside.
The initial letter of 'iraqi' is 'i'.
'hit'+'i'='hiti'
'hiti' going around 'a' is 'HAITI'.

(Other definitions for haiti that I've seen before include "Caribbean country, capital Port-au-Prince" , "one in the Caribbean" , "Caribbean isle" , "W. Indies republic on Hispaniola" , "West part of Hispaniola" .)

I've seen this clue in The Independent.
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