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| Iraq university hostages' ordeal ends in Ramadi | Iraq university hostages' ordeal ends in Ramadi |
| (about 11 hours later) | |
| Militants have stormed a university in the Iraqi city of Ramadi, briefly taking dozens of students and staff hostage before retreating under fire. | Militants have stormed a university in the Iraqi city of Ramadi, briefly taking dozens of students and staff hostage before retreating under fire. |
| At least two people died in the attack, but officials said security forces were now back in control of the campus. | At least two people died in the attack, but officials said security forces were now back in control of the campus. |
| The militants were said to be from the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant. | The militants were said to be 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. |
| The areas include parts of Ramadi, where the militants have been battling security forces of the Shia-led government for months. | The areas include parts of Ramadi, where the militants have been battling security forces of the Shia-led government for months. |
| Hours after the Ramadi attack, a series of car bombs hit the Iraqi capital, Baghdad, killing at least 25 people and injuring dozens. | Hours after the Ramadi attack, a series of car bombs hit the Iraqi capital, Baghdad, killing at least 25 people and injuring dozens. |
| Prime Minister Nouri Maliki has been blamed for failing to stop the spiralling the sectarian violence, which has left more than 3,500 people dead this year. | Prime Minister Nouri Maliki has been blamed for failing to stop the spiralling the sectarian violence, which has left more than 3,500 people dead this year. |
| His Shia-led alliance won parliamentary elections held on 30 April, but fell short of a majority. The violence in Anbar meant there was no voting there. | His Shia-led alliance won parliamentary elections held on 30 April, but fell short of a majority. The violence in Anbar meant there was no voting there. |
| Mr Maliki wants a third term, but other parties have voiced strong opposition and accuse him of trying to monopolise power. | Mr Maliki wants a third term, but other parties have voiced strong opposition 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. |
| Sealed off | Sealed off |
| Saturday's attack was the third major assault by insurgents in as many days following raids on Mosul in the north and the central city of Samarra. | Saturday's attack was the third major assault by insurgents in as many days following raids on Mosul in the north and the central city of Samarra. |
| Police said militants had infiltrated the campus in the early hours from the neighbouring al-Tasha district, blowing up a bridge to the university's main gate. | Police said militants had infiltrated the campus in the early hours from the neighbouring al-Tasha district, blowing up a bridge to the university's main gate. |
| Security personnel sealed off the campus and one Agence France-Presse reporter said special forces had led an assault. | Security personnel sealed off the campus and one Agence France-Presse reporter said special forces had led an assault. |
| One student, Ahmed al-Mehamdi, told the Associated Press news agency by telephone that he awoke to gunfire and saw armed men running across the campus. | One student, Ahmed al-Mehamdi, told the Associated Press news agency by telephone that 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. Some students were taken to other buildings, he said, but others were trapped and "in panic". | The gunmen entered the dormitory and told everybody to stay in their rooms. Some students were taken to other buildings, he said, but others were trapped and "in panic". |
| He said the gunmen had said they belonged to ISIS, a Sunni group which grew out of al-Qaeda's Iraqi operation. | He said the gunmen had said they belonged to ISIS, a Sunni group which grew out of al-Qaeda's Iraqi operation. |
| Later, he told AP he had managed to escape, and that "this crisis ended almost peacefully and no student was hurt as far as I know". | Later, he told AP he had managed to escape, and that "this crisis ended almost peacefully and no student was hurt as far as I know". |
| Islamist State in Iraq and the Levant - ISIS | Islamist State in Iraq and the Levant - ISIS |
| Profile: Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIS) | Profile: Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIS) |
| AFP quoted Deputy Interior Minister Adnan al-Assadi as saying that all the students had been "liberated". The militants reportedly left the campus amid gunfire. | AFP quoted Deputy Interior Minister Adnan al-Assadi as saying that all the students had been "liberated". The militants reportedly left the campus amid gunfire. |
| At least two security guards were reported killed in the assault. Hospital sources say they have received two bodies - one of a student and the other of a police officer. There is no confirmation. | At least two security guards were reported killed in the assault. Hospital sources say they have received two bodies - one of a student and the other of a police officer. There is no confirmation. |
| On Friday, dozens of people died in fighting between Sunni insurgents and government troops in Mosul. | On Friday, dozens of people died in fighting between Sunni insurgents and government troops in Mosul. |
| AFP quoted officials as saying the fighting had entered a second day on Saturday, with dozens more insurgents and security personnel killed in clashes. | AFP quoted officials as saying the fighting had entered a second day on Saturday, with dozens more insurgents and security personnel killed in clashes. |
| On Thursday, scores of unidentified militants stormed checkpoints in Samarra. | On Thursday, scores of unidentified militants stormed checkpoints in 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 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. | The army said some 80 insurgents died. |