WASHINGTON, April 2 (Reuters) - The Pentagon will keep pulling troops out of Iraq through July despite an increase in violence, but then will halt withdrawals to assess the security situation, the top U.S. military officer said on Wednesday.

Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff, said recent violence in Baghdad and Basra would not change plans to withdraw five combat brigades from the war zone, bringing the number of troops back to the level in Iraq before a "surge" of force last year.

"Right now we're still on track for the fifth brigade to come out, the last of the surge brigades to come out, by the end of July and then the period of consolidation and evaluation will take place," Mullen told reporters at the Pentagon. (Reporting by Kristin Roberts, Editing by Sandra Maler)

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