The attacks targeted government buildings and police stations in the Bugur county. Chinese authorities blame separatists from the Uyghur minority, who have long complained of being subjected to ethnic discrimination, oppressive religious controls, and social boycott.

Urumqi (AsiaNews / RFA) - At least 12 people are dead and over 100 wounded following a series of bomb attacks against government buildings and police stations in Bugur county (Xinjiang region). The attacks date to September 21, but details only emerged today. The police suspect that the bombs were the work of separatists from the Uyghur minority, who have long complained of being subjected to ethnic discrimination, oppressive religious controls, and social boycott.

Victims include three policemen and the seven attackers. All of these died in the attack on a police station in Yengisar. The other cities affected are Bugue and Terekbazar, but the official number of the victims is not yet known.

Bugur County Hospital has admitted the people with serious injuries. "There are at least 100 - says a nurse - because the beds are full". Patients being treated include 20 policemen and a man suspected of being part of the group of attackers.

The Xinjiang region is one of the most turbulent in all of China. Its Uyghur Muslim minority, who number about nine million, have long sought independence from China. The central government, for its part, has brought in hundreds of thousands of settlers to make Han Chinese the dominant ethnic group. At the same time, it has severely curtailed Muslim religious worship as well as the teaching of the local language and culture.

 

• china
• attack
• Xinjiang
• province
• uyghur
• ethnic
• minority
• separatists