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Violence in China's Xinjiang 'kills 27' | Violence in China's Xinjiang 'kills 27' |
(35 minutes later) | |
Riots have killed 27 people in China's restive far western region of Xinjiang, Chinese state media report. | Riots have killed 27 people in China's restive far western region of Xinjiang, Chinese state media report. |
The incident happened in Turban prefecture early on Wednesday. | The incident happened in Turban prefecture early on Wednesday. |
Police opened fire after a mob armed with knives attacked police stations and a local government building, Xinhua news agency quoted officials as saying. | Police opened fire after a mob armed with knives attacked police stations and a local government building, Xinhua news agency quoted officials as saying. |
There are sporadic outbreaks of violence in Xinjiang, where there are rumbling ethnic tensions between Muslim Uighur and Han Chinese communities. | There are sporadic outbreaks of violence in Xinjiang, where there are rumbling ethnic tensions between Muslim Uighur and Han Chinese communities. |
Confirming reports from the region is difficult because information is tightly controlled. | Confirming reports from the region is difficult because information is tightly controlled. |
The incident happened in Turban's remote township of Lukqun, around 200km (120 miles) south-east of the region's capital, Urumqi. | |
The Xinhua news agency report, citing local officials, said rioters stabbed people and set police cars alight. | The Xinhua news agency report, citing local officials, said rioters stabbed people and set police cars alight. |
Seventeen people, including nine security personnel and eight civilians, were killed before police shot dead 10 of the rioters, it said. | Seventeen people, including nine security personnel and eight civilians, were killed before police shot dead 10 of the rioters, it said. |
At least three others were injured and were being treated in hospital, it added. | At least three others were injured and were being treated in hospital, it added. |
The Xinhua report did not provide any information on the ethnicity of those involved in the riot or on what sparked it. | |
In 2009 almost 200 people - mostly Han Chinese - were killed after deadly rioting erupted in Urumqi between the Han Chinese and Uighur communities. | |
In April an incident in the city of Kashgar left 21 people dead. | |
The government said the violence began when "terrorists" were discovered in a building by officials searching for weapons. | |
But local people told the BBC that the violence involved a local family who had a long-standing dispute with officials who had been pressuring the men to shave off their beards and the women to take off their veils. | |
Uighurs make up about 45% of Xinjiang's population, but say an influx of Han Chinese residents has marginalised their traditional culture. | |
Beijing authorities often blame violent incidents in Xinjiang on Uighur extremists seeking autonomy for the region. Uighur activists, meanwhile, accuse Beijing of over-exaggerating the threat to justify heavy-handed rule. |