Minister calls for Sinhalese ‘to produce children as much as possible’ 07 June 2014 Sri Lankan Minister Mervyn Silva has called on the Sinhalese people to reproduce as much as possible, in order to increase population numbers. Silva, Sri Lanka’s Public Relations Minister, was reportedly addressing a government function in Wattala, and stated, "The Sinhala race is rapidly becoming a minority and my only only request to the Sinhalese is to produce children as much as possible to avoid extinction of their race". The Sri Lankan government already offers cash incentives for the Sri Lankan Army, almost exclusively Sinhalese, to have extra children, having awarded over Rs. 700 million in payments so far. See more here. The Minister then went on to  offer his services to the Sinhala people, adding, "There is no point in lamenting over this problem… If any woman has a problem in having children, I kindly request her to contact me for further assistance". Speaking on the Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa, Silva also said, "The United People's Freedom Alliance, led by the Sri Lanka Freedom Party, is one big family. The mother and father of that family is none other than President Mahinda Rajapaksa . We must not allow anyone to disrupt that familial bond.”

Video: We Are Waiting Till Gota Comes – Mangala

United National Party MP Mangala Samaraweera’s speech in parliament on banned websites.

What appropriate action will be taken response to India? -Question raise by Ranil in Parliament
(Lanka-e-News- 06.June.2014, 11.00PM) On 26th May, 2014 President Mahinda Rajapaksa attended the swearing in ceremony of the new Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Next day, bilateral talks were held between the two sides. The media reported that during the meeting, President Rajapaksa had explained the steps taken by the Sri Lanka Government to achieve national reconciliation. Subsequent to the talks, the Secretary to the Ministry of External Affairs, India, Shrimati Sujatha Singh in her media briefing stated "We on our side have urged upon President Rajapaksa that it is important for the wellbeing of the Tamils in Sri Lanka, that the Thirteenth Amendment to be implemented, and that it is also important for it to go beyond. So we are hopeful that this request that is coming from Prime Minister will be listened to and that Sri Lanka will take appropriate action as required."

An earlier Joint Press Statement issued by the two Governments on 17 May 2011 during the visit of Sri Lanka's Minister of External Affairs to New Delhi to discuss national reconciliation in Sri Lanka, stated, "the External Affairs Minister of Sri Lanka affirmed his Government's commitment to ensuring expeditious and concrete progress in the ongoing dialogue between the Government of Sri Lanka and representatives of Tamil parties. A devolution package, building upon the 13th Amendment, would contribute towards creating the necessary conditions for such reconciliation."

Will the Minister inform the House of the government's response to this issue raised by India side in regard to national reconciliation? What appropriate action will be taken in this regard? What were the assurances given to the then Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh and the then Leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha and the present External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj in regard to a political solution for national reconciliation, by the President and the Government of Sri Lanka? 

HC allows CJ to file objections

 

Saturday, 07 June 2014 

The Colombo High Court today allowed time till August 4 for the 43rd Chief Justice Shirani Bandaranayake to file objections against the stay order restraining her lawyers and computer experts from acessing the computer logins and statement logins of her accounts at the NDB Bank

High Court Judge M.C.B.S. Morais allowed her the instructing lawyers Paul Ratnayake Associates to file objections against the stay order sequent to a request made by Counsel Nalin Ladduwahetty PC who appeared with U.L.G. Bandara and Gunaratne Wanninayake for Dr. Bandaranayake.

The Colombo High Court had earlier issued the stay order after considering submissions made by Counsel Kalinga Indatissa PC.

Bar Association Condemns Police Inaction During Ruhuna University Attack

June 6, 2014

The Standing Committee of the Bar Association of Sri Lanka on Rule of Law has today condemned the attitude adopted by the Police when students of the Ruhuna University were brutally assaulted by a mob led by the Deputy Minister Sanath Jayasuriya and some members of the Provincial Council.

Deputy Minister Sanath Jayasuriya

Issuing a statement the Standing Committee of the Bar Association of Sri Lanka on Rule of Law said; “This is another instant where the Police were mere spectators to the commission of crimes by politicians.  It is a pathetic sight to watch such episodes over and over again.  What these incidents show over and over again is the complete erosion of Rule of Law in our country.  It is now clear that the politicians enjoy absolute immunity in respect of the commission of crimes against persons who do not agree with them.  The dangerous aspect of it is the impunity with which these criminal acts are committed and the fact that the political leadership of our country as well as the law enforcement authorities has failed to at least show its concern regarding this development which makes it obvious that the political leadership is supportive of these acts.  It is seen that the law enforcement authorities has neither the will nor power to do their duty.”

“These actions by politicians and the attitude of the police has made the provisions on fundamental rights of citizens guaranteed in the constitution meaningless.  This will be our main focus at the ‘Public Forums’ that the Bar Association of Sri Lanka will be holding throughout the country to enlighten the people on the erosion of Rule of Law and the lack of accountability by the government.” the Standing Committee further said.

FUTA threatens strike unless govt. stops harassing lecturers 

June 6, 2014

‘Names of dons who spoke against Deyata Kirula at Senate meeting were leaked to thugs’

By Dasun Edirisinghe

The Federation of University Teachers’ Associations (FUTA) yesterday asked the government to stop harassing its members following a recent goon attack on the Ruhuna University students or face a countrywide strike.

Addressing a media conference at the Faculty Club of the Colombo University, FUTA President Chandragupta Thenuwara said that the government sponsored thugs had attacked the vehicle of a lecturer of the Ruhuna University during the protest on Monday, demanding that Deyata Kirula exhibition be held within the university premises.

He said that another lecturer of the Jaffna University had also been questioned by the CID recently.

"All those acts are a threat to the university autonomy and unnecessary interference in university matters," Thenuwara said.

Dr. Upul Abeyratne of the Ruhuna University Humanities and Social Sciences Faculty said he was leaving the university when a group of people protesting opposite the university on Monday attacked his car.

A thug who was under the influence of liquor had shouted that he (Dr. Abeyratne) had, at a Senate meeting, opposed the holding of the Deyata Kirula exhibition and the mob had attacked the vehicle, Dr. Abeyratne said. "They also tried to harm me, but I managed to escape."

That incident had proved that the details of lecturers against Deyata Kirula exhibition had been leaked to government sponsored thugs, Dr. Abeyratne said.

He said he had reported Monday’s incident and subsequent threats to the Vice Chancellor and the University Security Division besides lodging a complaint with the police.

Former FUTA President Dr. Nirmal Ranjith Dewasiri, Dr. Jinasena Hewage of the Ruhuna Science Faculty, lecturers Dr. P. Edirisinghe, Upali Pannilage and Chandika Gunasinghe from the Ruhuna University also attended the media conference.

President & Southern PC councilors responsible for assault led by cricket thug

SATURDAY, 07 JUNE 2014 

Members of Southern Provincial Council and the President are responsible for the conflict situation that was created in University of Ruhuna, a cricket thug and several provincial councilors broke into the University complex and assaulted students and the government is engaged in an exercise to set one against the other states the President of the Federation of University Teachers Association (FUTA) Dr. Chandraguptha Thenuwara.

Speaking at a media conference held in Colombo on the 6th the Head of the Art History Department at University of the Visual & Performing Arts said normally when students hold a protest or an agitation the police move in to the scene at least an hour earlier. However, during the incident that occurred at University of Ruhuna the police did not make an appearance even after the incident.

When taking decisions regarding universities agreements are reached. However, there was no such agreement regarding holding ‘Dayata Kirula’ exhibition at University of Ruhuna and the administration had taken a straight decision said Dr. Thenuwara.

Senior Lecturer of the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences of University of Ruhuna Dr. Upul Abeyratna who was assaulted by a gang of thugs led by Sanath Jayasooriya on 2nd June also spoke at the media conference.

He said ‘Dayata Kirula’ exhibition was shifted away from University of Ruhuna not because of opposition to it from the University but because the road to Tangalle would have to be closed down for a long period. He said Minister Ranjith Siyambalapitiya had pointed out that the development of an alternative route would cost a large sum.

He said despite some attempt to show that he was assaulted by villagers, he knows the villagers well and added that he was assaulted by thugs brought down from other areas.

A leader of the Independent Students Union, the student movement sponsored by the government, had threatened him and he was assaulted the day after he pointed out the harm the University complex would be subjected to if the exhibition was held there. He said information has been received that names of four other lecturers have been made available for thugs to take action.

The Senior Lecturer of Humanities and Social Sciences of University of Ruhuna Chandidka Gunasinghe, Senior Lecturer of the Department of Economics at University of Ruhuna Upali, Senior Lecturer of University of Ruhuna Dr. Ms. J. Edirisinghe, Senior Lecturer Jinasena Hewage and former President of FUTA Dr. Nirmal Ranjith Devasiri were present.

Death threats to Ruhuna University lecturers

 

Friday, 06 June 2014

University teachers question as to whether S.B. Dissanayake is the minister in charge of higher education, or if not livestock or terrorism affairs.

Their association FUTA, at a media briefing in Colombo today (06), charged the government of being behind death threats received by lecturers of Ruhunu University after they condemned an attack on students of the university.

President of the association Dr. Chandragupta Thenuwara said they strongly protested the higher education minister’s having called lecturers and students by names of various animals.

The attack on the students took place during a protest by a group of persons near the university on June 02 against a decision not to hold the 2015 Deyata Kirula exhibition at the university premises.

Following the incident, the administration closed four faculties definitely.

Lecturer Dr. Upul Abeyratne said the police gave cover for the thugs who had carried out the attack, and that it was not villagers, but thugs brought by government MPs who had staged the protest.

Meanwhile, the Students’ Union of Peradeniya University staged a demonstration at Galaha junction today to condemn the attack and the closure of four faculties at Ruhunu University.

Complaint against magistrate who threatened to remand lady lawyer

 Saturday, 07 June 2014 

A lady lawyer has complained to the Judicial Services Commission (JSC) and the Bar Association of Sri Lanka (BASL) that a magistrate had rejected a request seeking justice for her client and threatened her at open courts that she would be suspended for six months and also that she would be remanded for a similar duration, ‘Ravaya’ reports.

Senior lawyer Benshi Mendis of the Moratuwa magistrate’s court has lodged this complaint against Moratuwa magistrate Aravinda Perera.

The sworn affidavit containing the complaint says the magistrate had summoned two remand prison officers to the place where she had been after issuing the threat to her.

When she had appeared for a respondent in another case later in the day, the magistrate had again threatened her, telling her not to appear in cases and that he would not heed her requests.

BASL secretary Ajith Pathirana confirmed having received such a complaint against the Moratuwa magistrate and said a committee would be appointed to investigate it.

Previously, there had been allegations of defaulting bank loans against magistrate Aravinda Perera, and investigating those charges, the JSC, headed by chief justice Shirani Bandaranayake at the time, had suspended him.

Ranil queries demarcation of local govt. divisions 

By Saman Indrajith-June 6, 2014

Opposition and UNP leader Ranil Wickremesinghe yesterday in Parliament demanded to know whether a report containing the recommendations to demarcate the divisions of the Local Authorities had been submitted to the President.

Making a special statement Wickremesinghe said: "The term of office of the presently existing Local Authorities terminates by the first quarter of 2015.  Accordingly, the next Local Authorities Election will be held under the Local Authorities Elections (Amendment) Act No. 22 of 2012.

I would like to state that this question is asked as the political parties need to know the electoral divisions and their allocated numbers in order to prepare for the next Local Authorities Election. 

As mentioned in Part I of that Act, a National Delimitation Committee has to be established to demarcate the Local Authority Divisions. Through that Committee, the recommendations to demarcate the Divisions of the Local Authorities should be submitted to the Minister.  Further, the delimitation and assigning numbers to those divisions should be effected.

As per Section (5) 3a of Part I, the relevant task should be finalised and a report should be submitted to the Minister by the date set out by the National Committee. 

It is further stated in the Act that, consequently, the said report should immediately be submitted to the President whereupon the President should publish it through a Gazette notification.

I wish to get replies to the following questions from the Minister of Local Authorities and Provincial Councils. Was a National Delimitation Committee established as per Local Authorities Elections (Amendment) Act No. 22 of 2012?  When was it established?  Was a date fixed to submit the report to that Committee?  What is that date?  Was the report submitted?  If so, when?  If a report has been submitted, was it presented to the President?  If so, when?"

Minister of Local Authorities and Provincial Council A.L.M. Athaulla said the minister had been vested with the powers to defer local government elections by one more year. In case the delimitation of local authorities would not be finished, the elections to be held in the first quarter of 2015 would be extended by one year.

"The delimitation committee has completed their first draft on demarcating the local authorities on March 7, this year. Yet there are some other problems and issues to be addressed in this regard. Some local authorities do not have permanent demarcations. Some Grama Niladhari divisions come under several bodies of local government. These problems have to be sorted out and it is our expectation that these could be solved and finalised by the end of this year. Thus, there would be no problem of holding the elections for local government authorities in the first quarter of 2015. In case that task would not be completed and further problems arising, the Minister is vested with the powers to extend the elections by one year," he said.

Kent’s Illustrious Exiles: Sir John Kotelawala

Sir John Kotelawala and companions at a local fete in Kent

By T. Thurai - 

T. Thurai

When a character, encountered only in books, suddenly steps off the page, it is an electrifying experience. Nothing prepares you for that moment when the bare bones of history suddenly acquire flesh. You do not know where the discovery will come, or when. It is so unexpected that it seems surreal. Yet one thing is certain, it is always accompanied by a frisson of excitement.

I was fortunate enough to have such an experience at a birthday party held in a converted barn only three miles from my home. I was sitting next to a local farmer – the owner of the barn – and had mentioned my interest in 1950s Ceylon, including one its Prime Ministers Sir John Kotelawala.

“Oh,” said the farmer. “My Dad knew Sir John. He lived around here, didn’t he?”

He did indeed, but I had not expected to meet anyone who recognised the name – let alone had any memory – of the colourful and pugnacious man who was Prime Minister of Ceylon.

Sir John must have inherited her determination, climbing the exceptionally greasy pole of post-colonial politics to become the country’s third Prime Minister after Independence (1953 -1956). Cast in the ‘old school’ mould, he maintained close ties with the British establishment, being appointed to the Privy Council in 1954 and proving himself a fierce anti-Communist.Sir John’s personal story was a remarkable one of rags-to-riches. Having been accused of murder, his father had committed suicide and the family had faced destitution. However, Sir John’s mother had staged a remarkable comeback and rebuilt the family fortunes.

Pathé News reels show him on several official trips abroad, including a summit of Commonwealth Prime Ministers at 10 Downing Street where he rubbed shoulders with Winston Churchill and Pandit Nehru.

While Sir John is only briefly mentioned in my book The Devil Dancers, he acquired a particular interest for me when I discovered that, after losing Ceylon’s 1956 General Election, he had bought a house in the English county of Kent where he lived for a number of years.

On Saturday, 7 July 1956, The Times’s Property Correspondent recorded Sir John’s purchase of Brogues Wood estate at Biddenden in Kent. Interestingly, this idyllic village with its medieval half-timbered houses had previously provided a home for another political exile: the King of Siam.

Situated a couple of miles from the genteel country town of Tenterden, Brogues Wood was described by The Times as having “four reception rooms and four principal and three secondary bed rooms and stands in grounds of some 103 acres.”

Sir John appears to have pre-empted an auction of the property which was to have taken place later that month; however, The Times politely omits to report how much he paid for it.

While his attendance at glittering social events was frequently recorded in the columns of the Court Circular, Sir John Kotelawala also appears to have taken a keen interest in local Kentish life. A number of old black-and-white photographs show him attending local fêtes, including one at Tenterden.

My meeting with the local farmer fleshed out the fascinating, but ephemeral information that I had already gleaned about Sir John’s life in Kent.

“Sir John Kotelawala and my father both shared an interest in horses,” explained the farmer who told me that his father had arranged tickets for Sir John and his retinue to attend the racing at Ascot.

“The ladies in Sir John’s entourage all wore beautiful saris,” said the farmer. “They turned a lot of heads in the royal enclosure!”

Pathé news reel showing Sir John Kotelawala at a meeting of Commonwealth Premiers at 10 Downing Street in 1955

Gamini Senarath holds 5 high positions - Opposition criticized

 Saturday, 07 June 2014 

President Mahinda Rajapakse’s Chief of Staff Gamini Senarath came under spotlight yesterday in Palriament when the opposition members cried foul for him holding over five positions of high stature allegedly “with ordinary qualifications”, mainly because of the “trust placed by the executive President”.

The Daily FT has reported that apart from serving President Rajapakse as his Chief of Staff, Senarath also works as the Chairman of Peoples Bank, Litro Gas Company, Litro Gas terminal Lanka Ltd., Canwill Holdings Ltd, and Peoples Leasing and Finance PLC.

JVP Leader Anura Kumara Dissanayake who raised doubt about Senarat’s capacity to discharge the duties in all these businesses effectively and efficiently has reportedly said: “I doubt he has six faces and 12 arms to handle all these businesses. We also need to check his vehicle. Don’t we have anybody else in this country? This only shows that all these companies will fall with the President appointing his close allies. He has a general degree from Kelaniya University in addition to a diploma in information technology. With such qualifications in hand, he leads key Government institutions in this country in addition to being the Chief of Staff to the President. I know that President has a staff exceeding 2,000. This is not a simple matter.”

“How can he look into all these matters unless he is the almighty creator Vismakarma? Do you know that 13% of the profits have declined at Peoples Bank during the last financial year? These are not what was brought from the Medamulana Walawwa but public money. He should be there on a fulltime to administer and direct the institution. This shows how the President in interfering,” Dissanayake has been quoted as saying in the Daily FT.

Meanwhile, Leader of the Opposition Ranil Wickremasinghe who wanted to know the specialty for Senarath to hold such positions has said: “The question was raised to know the reason for appointing him but not to criticize him. Leaders in the other parts of the world has chiefs of staff. But they don’t accept any other positions. This is not to a fault of Gamini Senarath. Chief of Staff has a special assignment. Let us know the reasons for the Government to deviate from what is followed in other parts of the world. I know that there was one other Chief of Staff in the world who held similar positions while working for Adolf Hitler.”

In response Minister of International Monetary Co-operation and Deputy Minister of Finance and Planning Dr. Sarath Amunugama has said: “We don’t agree with you. Don’t criticize just because he is holding several positions. Criticise unless you can find something wrong. We don’t want your lecture. We need not follow what is done in the other parts of the world with their chiefs of staff. What we have is a homegrown solution.”

Lankans held hostage by Somali Pirates released after almost 4 years

Some of the 11 freed crew members of the MV Albedo, hijacked by Somali pirates in 2010, who were released on June 6 Photo: UNODC

June 7, 2014

Eleven crew members, including 3 Sri Lankan nationals, on a ship hijacked by Somali pirates nearly four years ago were finally released on Saturday, brining to an end the longest-running Somali piracy case, foreign media reported.

The crew of the MV Albedo were facing their first hours of freedom after three years and seven months as hostages, during which their pirate captors often used torture.

Early on in the hijacking, one crewmen was shot dead by the pirates in an apparent fit of anger after negotiations with the ship’s owners broke down. Then last summer, the vessel sank in a storm, resulting in five of the crew drowning along with five of the pirates as they abandoned ship.

The 11 seamen released today were then transferred to a ramshackle house near the Somali port of Hobyo, a notorious pirate haven, where they have been held ever since. They were expected to be flown to the Kenyan capital, Nairobi.

“They have lost a lot of weight, but otherwise seem in reasonable health and in good spirits, which is remarkable considering what they been through,” said one source. 

The Albedo, a Malaysian-flagged container ship, was originally captured in November 2010 with a crew of 23 from Bangladesh, India, Sri Lanka, Iran and Pakistan.

Rather than pay the $8 million ransom demanded by the pirates, the ship’s Iranian owners, who are thought to have been uninsured, simply went to ground, officials involved in the case told The Telegraph last year.

The Pakistani crew members were freed after a Pakistani businessman raised a $1.2 million ransom payment. But no similar funds were forthcoming for their fellow crew members, despite terrifying accounts emerging of the men’s mistreatment by their captors as they tried to raise the pressure.

The remaining Albedo crew released today are understood to be an Iranian, an Indian, six Bangladeshis and three Sri Lankans.

Some of the seamen were beaten with gun butts, locked in containers, and had the skin of their palms torn with pliers. At one point, the entire crew were packed into an empty swimming pool without food or water for three days. The ship’s captain, Jawad Khan, bore the brunt of the hijackers’ anger as he tried to keep them calm. On one occasion, he was tied up and lowered into the sea as pirates sprayed bullets around him.

The international anti-piracy force that patrols the Indian Ocean was unable to attempt a rescue because it feared the hostages would almost certainly be killed if they attempted to do so.

The exact circumstances of the release of the final Albedo crewmen is unclear. However, it is thought that the pirates may have been persuaded to accept a much lower ransom than originally expected.

The ship was among the cases receiving assistance from Colonel John Steed, a former British military attache to Kenya and United Nation’s counter-piracy expert, who now runs the Secretariat for Regional Maritime Security, an organisation which specialises in dealing with Somalia’s “forgotten” piracy cases.

While Somali piracy has decreased in the last three years due to ships using armed security, Col Steed told The Telegraph last year that there were around 100 hostages still languishing in pirate custody. Many had simply been abandoned by their ship’s owners.

Another group of sailors, on board the Thai-owned fishing boat the Prantalay 12, are still missing having been captured in April 2010, just over four years ago, The Telegraph reported.

New study suggests street harassment is widespread

This chart from the “Unsafe and Harassed in Public Spaces: A National Street Harassment Report,” illustrates the prevalence of street harassment among men and women in the United States. (Raquel Reichard)

• BY LAUREN MCEWEN-June 4

Stop Street Harassment, a nonprofit working to end sexual harassment in public spaces, just released the first national study on street harassment. Titled “Unsafe and Harassed in Public Spaces: A National Street Harassment Report,” it consists of data reported by 2,000 people surveyed by market research company Gfk, and information from 10 focus groups SSH held across the United States between February and March 2014.

New Study Suggests Street Harassment is Widespread by Thavam Ratna

Flooding in Afghanistan kills 50 people and leaves thousands homeless

Local authorities are struggling to cope with the effects of flash flooding, landslides and avalanches in rural Afghanistan

Saturday 7 June 2014

Flooding in a remote part of northern Afghanistan has killed more than 50 people and forced thousands to flee their homes, officials have said.

It was the latest in a string of deadly flash floods, landslides and avalanches in Afghanistan's rugged northern mountains, where roads are poor and many villages are virtually cut off from the rest of the country.

Lt Fazel Rahman, the police chief in the Guzirga i-Nur district of the north-eastern Baghlan province, said on Saturday that 54 bodies have been recovered, including the remains of women and children, but many others are still missing. He said the death toll could climb to 100 and called for emergency assistance from the central government.

"So far no one has come to help us. People are trying to find their missing family members," Rahman said, adding that the district's police force was overstretched by the scale of the disaster.

An exact death toll remained unclear. A statement from President Hamid Karzai's office said 58 people had been killed, while others put the toll higher.

General Mohammad Zahir Azimi, spokesman for the Afghan defence ministry, said two army helicopters had been sent to the area to provide assistance.

The Afghanistan natural disaster management authority began shipping out stockpiles of food and other supplies in Baghlan province to the affected area, said Mohammad Aslim Sayas, deputy director of the agency.

He said a delegation was sent to the affected villages to assess their needs.

Guzirga i-Nur district is located more than 85 miles (140km) north of the provincial capital, Puli Khumri.

Jawed Basharat, the spokesman for the Baghlan provincial police, said they were aware of the flooding, but that it would take eight to nine hours for them to reach the area by road.

Afghans living in the northern mountains have largely been spared from the country's decades of war, but are no strangers to natural disasters.

Last month, a landslide triggered by heavy rain buried large sections of a remote north-eastern village in the Badakhshan province which borders China, displacing some 700 families. Authorities have yet to provide an exact figure on the number of dead from the 2 May landslide, and estimates have ranged from 250 to 2,700. Officials say it will be impossible to dig up all the bodies.

A landslide in Baghlan province in 2012 killed 71 people. After days of digging unearthed only five bodies, authorities decided to halt the recovery effort and turn the area into a memorial for the dead.

Iraq Gunmen Take University, Briefly Hold Hostages

Students of Anbar university leave the university building in Ramadi city, west of Iraq, 07 June 2014

BAGHDAD (AP) — Militants stormed a university filled with hundreds of students inIraq’s restive Anbar province Saturday, briefly taking students hostage before withdrawing from the school amid gunfire, officials and witnesses said.

That changed early Saturday morning as the gunmen killed three police officers on guard at the university’s gate, a police and a military official said. The gunmen then detained dozens of students inside a university dorm, the officials said. Sabah Karhout, the head of Anbar’s provincial council, told reporters that hundreds of students were inside the university compound when the attack started.The attack on Anbar University comes as Islamic extremists and other anti-government militias have held parts of the nearby provincial capital of Ramadi and the city of Fallujah since December amid rising tensions between Sunni Muslims and the Shiite-led government in Baghdad. While shelling and gunbattles continue between the militants and government-allied forces, the school largely has been left alone while civilians fled the violence.

Ahmed al-Mehamdi, a student who was taken hostage, said he awoke to the crackle of gunfire, looked out the window and saw armed men dressed in black racing across the campus. Minutes later, the gunmen entered the dormitory and ordered everybody to stay in their rooms while taking others away, he said.

The Shiite students at the school were terrified, al-Mehamdi said, as the gunmen identified themselves as belonging to an al-Qaida splinter group known as the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant. The Sunni terror group, fighting in Syria with other rebels trying to topple President Bashar Assad, is known for massive, bloody attacks in Iraq as well often targeting Shiites that they view as heretics.

The Islamic State did not immediately claim the attack on the school, which says it has more than 10,000 students, making it one of the country’s largest.

Several hours later, gunmen left the university under unclear circumstances. Students then boarded buses provided by the local government to flee the school, though gunfire erupted as security forces attacked retreating militants, police said.

“We thank God that this crisis ended almost peacefully and no student was hurt as far as I know,” al-Mehamdi said by mobile phone from inside a bus that took him to safety.

Security officials said authorities wanted to wait for bomb disposal experts before entering any building on campus out of fears that the fleeing gunmen planted explosives. Government forces also came under sniper fire, officials said.

“Not a single student or a university staff member was hurt during the raid. All of them went home and their ordeal is over,” Karhout said.

Iraq is currently grappling with its worst surge in violence since the sectarian bloodletting of 2006 and 2007, when the country was pushed to the brink of civil war despite the presence of tens of thousands of U.S. troops.

The latest violence has been fueled by Sunni Muslim anger at the Shiite-led government in Baghdad, as well as the civil war in neighboring Syria. The Islamic State has carried out scores of deadly attacks on both sides of the border and imposed a brutal form of Islamic rule in territories under its control.

Those attacks include a coordinated assault April 21 on a private Shiite college in Baghdad that killed four police officers and one teacher.

Al-Qaida-linked fighters and their allies seized Fallujah and parts of Ramadi in late December after authorities dismantled a protest camp of Sunnis angry at what they consider their second-class treatment by the Shiite-led government. Fearful of setting off violence, security forces withdrew from the area, allowing militants to seize the cities. In April 2013, a similar dismantling of a Sunni protest camp in Hawija sparked violent clashes and set off the current upsurge in killing.

The government and its tribal allies are besieging the rebel-held areas, with fighting reported daily. Tens of thousands have fled the violence.