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Hostages seized as Iraq militants storm Ramadi university | Hostages seized as Iraq militants storm Ramadi university |
(35 minutes later) | |
Militants in Iraq have stormed a university campus in the western city of Ramadi, taking dozens of students and staff hostage. | Militants in Iraq have stormed a university campus in the western city of Ramadi, taking dozens of students and staff hostage. |
One student at the Anbar University campus said "everybody is in panic". | |
One report said some guards had died and that the militants were from the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant. | |
The western province of Anbar is a focal point of Iraq's rising sectarian violence, with a number of areas controlled by Sunni militants. | The western province of Anbar is a focal point of Iraq's rising sectarian violence, with a number of areas controlled by Sunni militants. |
Parts of Ramadi have been under their control for months. | Parts of Ramadi have been under their control for months. |
Sealed off | Sealed off |
Police said militants had infiltrated the campus from the neighbouring al-Tasha district, blowing up a bridge that connects to the university's main gate. | Police said militants had infiltrated the campus from the neighbouring al-Tasha district, blowing up a bridge that connects to the university's main gate. |
Security forces have sealed off the campus. | Security forces have sealed off the campus. |
The staff and students are reportedly being held in a dormitory. | The staff and students are reportedly being held in a dormitory. |
One student in the building, Ahmed al-Mehamdi, spoke to the Associated Press news agency by telephone. | |
He said he awoke to gunfire and saw armed men running across the campus. The gunmen entered the dormitory and told everybody to stay in their rooms. | |
He said: "The gunmen took some students to other university buildings. For the rest of us, we are still trapped in our rooms and everybody is in panic, especially the Shia students." | |
The violence in Anbar meant there was no voting there in the 30 April parliamentary elections. | The violence in Anbar meant there was no voting there in the 30 April parliamentary elections. |
Prime Minister Nouri Maliki's Shia-led alliance won the elections, but fell short of a majority. | |
Mr Maliki wants a third term, but other parties have voiced strong opposition. | Mr Maliki wants a third term, but other parties have voiced strong opposition. |
They blame him for the sectarian violence, which has left more than 3,500 people dead this year, and accuse him of trying to monopolise power. | They blame him for the sectarian violence, which has left more than 3,500 people dead this year, and accuse him of trying to monopolise power. |
He blames external factors like the conflict in Syria for exacerbating the violence, and his opponents for the current political stalemate. | He blames external factors like the conflict in Syria for exacerbating the violence, and his opponents for the current political stalemate. |
The Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant has carried out dozens of deadly attacks both in Iraq and Syria and imposes strict Islamic rule in the areas it controls. | The Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant has carried out dozens of deadly attacks both in Iraq and Syria and imposes strict Islamic rule in the areas it controls. |
On Thursday, scores of unidentified militants stormed checkpoints in the central Iraqi city of Samarra. | |
The advance was eventually halted when helicopter gunships and military reinforcements, including members of Iraq's elite counter-terrorism forces, were sent in. | |
The army said some 80 insurgents died. | |
Are you in Ramadi? Did you witness the attack? You can get in contact by emailing haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk with the subject title 'Ramadi'. | |
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