Former commander of US troops in Iraq Lt Gen Ricardo Sanchez has been cleared over abuses at Abu Ghraib jail in Iraq.

A new inquiry found no evidence of wrongdoing by Gen Sanchez and three of his top aides, US officials say.

The US Army inspector general's report says only Brig Gen Janis Karpinski, commander at the jail, has been found guilty and reprimanded over the abuse.

Pictures of Iraqi inmates abused by US soldiers caused an outcry last year. Five US soldiers have been convicted.

The Pentagon has held nine major inquiries into the Abu Ghraib prisoner abuse scandal, with two more to come.