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| Iraq conflict: Two generals killed by bomb near Ramadi | Iraq conflict: Two generals killed by bomb near Ramadi |
| (34 minutes later) | |
| Two senior Iraqi army commanders were among five people killed in a suicide car bombing near the city of Ramadi, military officials say. | Two senior Iraqi army commanders were among five people killed in a suicide car bombing near the city of Ramadi, military officials say. |
| Gen Abdel Rahman Abu Ragheef was the deputy commander of operations in the strategically important province of Anbar, while Brig Safeen Abdel Majeed was a divisional commander. | Gen Abdel Rahman Abu Ragheef was the deputy commander of operations in the strategically important province of Anbar, while Brig Safeen Abdel Majeed was a divisional commander. |
| Islamic State militants control Ramadi, 100km (60 miles) west of Baghdad. | Islamic State militants control Ramadi, 100km (60 miles) west of Baghdad. |
| An Iraqi offensive to recapture the city has been making slow progress. | An Iraqi offensive to recapture the city has been making slow progress. |
| The bombing happened in the Jerayshi area. | The bombing happened in the Jerayshi area. |
| Brig Gen Yahya Rasool told state TV that the bomb went off as the army intercepted an explosives-laden vehicle which they believed was targeting them. | Brig Gen Yahya Rasool told state TV that the bomb went off as the army intercepted an explosives-laden vehicle which they believed was targeting them. |
| "But the resulting explosion led to [their] martyrdom." | "But the resulting explosion led to [their] martyrdom." |
| At least 10 others were wounded in the blast, he said. | At least 10 others were wounded in the blast, he said. |
| The battle to recapture Ramadi is being led by the military and the police, supported by Shia militias, Sunni tribal fighters and US-led coalition air strikes. | The battle to recapture Ramadi is being led by the military and the police, supported by Shia militias, Sunni tribal fighters and US-led coalition air strikes. |
| The city was captured by Islamic State (IS) fighters in May - one of a series of embarrassing defeats inflicted upon Iraqi forces over the last year - and thousands of civilians fled. | The city was captured by Islamic State (IS) fighters in May - one of a series of embarrassing defeats inflicted upon Iraqi forces over the last year - and thousands of civilians fled. |
| The BBC's Jim Muir in Beirut says that government forces have made little progress in their efforts to recapture the city, which remains firmly in the militants' hands. | |
| Our correspondent says that the deaths of the two senior army commanders have caused a stir in Baghdad - where numerous political figures paid tribute to them - and will do nothing to improve the morale of state forces as they try to dislodge IS from Ramadi. | |
| US Defence Secretary Ashton Carter said in May that the rout of Iraqi troops in a matter of days when the city fell showed that they lacked the will to fight. | |
| Mr Carter told CNN that the Iraqis had chosen to withdraw despite the fact that they "vastly outnumbered" IS forces. | Mr Carter told CNN that the Iraqis had chosen to withdraw despite the fact that they "vastly outnumbered" IS forces. |
| But Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi responded by saying that he was surprised at the US defence secretary's comments and that Ramadi would soon be recaptured. | |
| Mr Abadi has however cleared the way for a court martial of military commanders who abandoned their posts at the city. |