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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 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. | 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. |
| The areas include parts of Ramadi, where the militants have been battling security forces of the Shia-led government for months. | |
| 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. | |
| 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 and one Agence France-Presse reporter said an assault led by special forces was under way. | |
| The staff and students were reportedly being held in a dormitory. | |
| One student in the building, Ahmed al-Mehamdi, spoke to the Associated Press news agency by telephone. | 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 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." | 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. | 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 Friday, dozens of people died in fighting between Sunni insurgents and government troops in Mosul. | |
| A day earlier, 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. |
| 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'. | 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'. |
| Send your pictures and videos to yourpics@bbc.co.uk or text them to 61124 (UK) or +44 7624 800 100 (International). If you have a large file you can upload here. | Send your pictures and videos to yourpics@bbc.co.uk or text them to 61124 (UK) or +44 7624 800 100 (International). If you have a large file you can upload here. |
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