94 hurt as militants ram two explosive-laden vehicles into a crowd, set off over a dozen blasts
Beijing, Urumqi - May 22
At least 31 persons were killed and 94 others injured today in China’s bloodiest terrorist attack at a busy market in Urumqi, provincial capital of the restive Xinjiang province, when militants rammed two explosive-laden vehicles into a crowd and set off over a dozen blasts.
The two vehicles, without license plates, broke through roadside fences and ploughed into people at an open air market at Park North Street near Renmin Park at 7:50 am (local time) and the occupants set off explosive devices, the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region’s government said in a statement.
Witnesses said explosives were thrown before the vehicles exploded. Many of the injured were elderly people who frequently visited the morning market, according to witnesses.
A business owner in the market told state-run Xinhua news agency he heard a dozen big blasts.
This was by far the biggest attack suspected to have been carried out by the banned East Turkestan Islamic Movement (ETIM) fighting for the independence of Xinjiang, the sprawling province bordering Pakistan-occupied Kashmir and Afghanistan.
In response to today’s attack, President Xi Jinping pledged to severely punish terrorists and spare no efforts in maintaining stability and directed the local authorities to solve the case quickly, put the injured under proper care and offer condolences to families of the victims.
A work panel led by Public Security Minister Guo Shengkun has headed for Xinjiang to join the investigation. All the injured were rushed to hospitals.
The regional government has launched an emergency response system and organised medical efforts for treatment of the injured, said the statement.
Observers say that scale of today’s attacks showed ETIM, stated to be an Al-Qaida-backed outfit is gaining ground in Xinjiang taking advantage of the anger of native Uyghur Muslim militants over Han Chinese settlements.
Xinjiang has witnessed riots between Uyghurs and Han settlers from outside the province. The Uyghurs, a Turkic-speaking community, resent the settlements as they believe the large scale migration is marginalising them in their own homeland.
Today’s attack is regarded as the worst violence as militants, earlier largely confined to knife attacks, used multiple explosives besides triggering car bombs.
Today’s blasts came a day after sentencing of 39 persons for up to 15 years of imprisonment for inciting violence in Xinjiang in the last two months.
Significantly, Pakistan President Mamnoon Hussain who met his Chinese counterpart Xi in Shanghai today promised to step up crackdown against “East Turkestan” forces said to be operating from Pakistan’s tribal areas. This was a rare admission by Pakistan about East Turkestan forces, which China equates with the ETIM.
Hussain is in Shanghai to attend the fourth summit of the Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia (CICA).
Beijing, Urumqi - May 22
At least 31 persons were killed and 94 others injured today in China’s bloodiest terrorist attack at a busy market in Urumqi, provincial capital of the restive Xinjiang province, when militants rammed two explosive-laden vehicles into a crowd and set off over a dozen blasts.
The two vehicles, without license plates, broke through roadside fences and ploughed into people at an open air market at Park North Street near Renmin Park at 7:50 am (local time) and the occupants set off explosive devices, the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region’s government said in a statement.Witnesses said explosives were thrown before the vehicles exploded. Many of the injured were elderly people who frequently visited the morning market, according to witnesses.
A business owner in the market told state-run Xinhua news agency he heard a dozen big blasts.
This was by far the biggest attack suspected to have been carried out by the banned East Turkestan Islamic Movement (ETIM) fighting for the independence of Xinjiang, the sprawling province bordering Pakistan-occupied Kashmir and Afghanistan.
In response to today’s attack, President Xi Jinping pledged to severely punish terrorists and spare no efforts in maintaining stability and directed the local authorities to solve the case quickly, put the injured under proper care and offer condolences to families of the victims.
A work panel led by Public Security Minister Guo Shengkun has headed for Xinjiang to join the investigation. All the injured were rushed to hospitals.
The regional government has launched an emergency response system and organised medical efforts for treatment of the injured, said the statement.
Observers say that scale of today’s attacks showed ETIM, stated to be an Al-Qaida-backed outfit is gaining ground in Xinjiang taking advantage of the anger of native Uyghur Muslim militants over Han Chinese settlements.
Xinjiang has witnessed riots between Uyghurs and Han settlers from outside the province. The Uyghurs, a Turkic-speaking community, resent the settlements as they believe the large scale migration is marginalising them in their own homeland.
Today’s attack is regarded as the worst violence as militants, earlier largely confined to knife attacks, used multiple explosives besides triggering car bombs.
Today’s blasts came a day after sentencing of 39 persons for up to 15 years of imprisonment for inciting violence in Xinjiang in the last two months.
Significantly, Pakistan President Mamnoon Hussain who met his Chinese counterpart Xi in Shanghai today promised to step up crackdown against “East Turkestan” forces said to be operating from Pakistan’s tribal areas. This was a rare admission by Pakistan about East Turkestan forces, which China equates with the ETIM.
Hussain is in Shanghai to attend the fourth summit of the Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia (CICA).
The restive province
- Xinjiang, bordering PoK and Afghanistan, has been plagued by violence for years.
- Chinese officials suspect that the explosions were caused by the East Turkistan Islamic Movement, an Al-Qaida affiliate.
- Xinjiang region has witnessed riots between native Muslim Uygurs and Han settlers from outside the province.
- Uygurs, a Turkic speaking community, resent the settlements as they believe the large scale migration is marginalising them in their own homeland.
NEW DELHI: India on Friday condemned the terrorist attack in Urumqi saying it opposed terrorism in all its forms and manifestations. In a statement, MEA spokesman Syed Akbaruddin said: "We strongly condemn the terrorist attack which took place earlier today at Urumqi, China. India opposes terrorism in all its forms and manifestations. We extend condolences to the families of the victims.
