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Chinese riot city leader sacked | Chinese riot city leader sacked |
(20 minutes later) | |
The Communist Party chief of the troubled western Chinese city of Urumqi has been sacked, the official Chinese Xinhua news agency says. | The Communist Party chief of the troubled western Chinese city of Urumqi has been sacked, the official Chinese Xinhua news agency says. |
No official reason was given for the dismissal of Li Zhi. | No official reason was given for the dismissal of Li Zhi. |
It follows days of ethnic unrest in Urumqi, capital of Xinjiang region, in which at least five people have died. | |
The protests came after a spate of stabbings with syringes blamed on Uighur Muslim separatists. Unrest in Urumqi in July left nearly 200 dead. | The protests came after a spate of stabbings with syringes blamed on Uighur Muslim separatists. Unrest in Urumqi in July left nearly 200 dead. |
Li Zhi is to be replaced by Zhu Hailun, the head of Xinjiang region's law-and-order committee, the Xinhua report said. | |
The statement added that there had also been a leadership change in the Xinjiang Autonomous Regional Public Security Department, but gave no details. | |
The BBC's Michael Bristow in Urumqi says the sacking is unusual as it shows the Chinese authorities believe they may have made mistakes in the handling of the unrest. | |
Security in Urumqi has been tight this week, after thousands of Han Chinese demonstrated over the alleged hypodermic syringe stabbings. | |
In fresh unrest on Saturday, angry Han Chinese gathered in the city's main square following reports that three Uighur men had attacked a child with needles. Riot police cleared the area. |