China: Two dead in Xinjiang violence

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-china-26641546

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Police have shot dead an armed man who attacked a police officer in the far western region of Xinjiang, Chinese authorities say.

The suspect attacked a 29-year-old officer in Urumqi on Monday night, China's public security ministry said.

Police at the scene shot the man dead and the injured officer later died from his wounds, the ministry said.

The attack is the latest in a series of violent incidents in Xinjiang, home to the Muslim Uighur minority.

Uighurs, who make up about 45% of the region's population, say large-scale migration of Han Chinese has eroded their culture.

In 2009, major ethnic rioting in Urumqi, the regional capital, left about 200 people dead.

China has traditionally blamed extremists for outbreaks of violence, while Uighur activists point to tight Chinese control as a cause of tensions.

Verifying reports from the region is difficult because information is tightly controlled.

Authorities did not identify the assailant's ethnicity.

Earlier this month, Chinese authorities blamed a mass stabbing attack at Kunming Railway Station that left 29 people dead on extremists from Xinjiang.