Over the past few years tensions between ethnic groups in the
Western region of China, Xinjiang, have been increasing drastically. A group of
Turkic people known as the Uighurs, have had major problems with the amount of
restrictions placed on their religion and the increasing number of other ethnic
groups in the area. According to reporters in Xinjiang, they decided to take
matters into their own hands and tried to commit an act of terrorism in Wushi
County. Twelve armed Uighurs attacked Wushi County police officers with guns,
knives, and bombs made from gas cylinders. The Wushi County Officials refuse to
give an official report, but there is evidence that eight terrorists were shot
and killed by police, three terrorists blew themselves up, and one was
captured. There was also a report that two police officers and two civilians
were wounded during this hostile situation; the severity of their condition is
unknown at this point in time. This is not the first time Uighurs have committed
crimes of this nature, police have had to shoot and kill Uighurs that were
targeting police before. Just before this most recent incident a group of Uighurs
attacked a police station in another part of Xinjiang, and the police were
forced to have to engage the attackers; which resulted in the death of the
attacking men. The fighting and hostility in the region seems to continue to
grow without any resolution in the near future.
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