Eight killed in Knife Attack in China’s Xinjiang Province

At least eight persons, including three knife-wielding assailants, were killed in a knife attack in Pishan County in southern Xinjiang in China.

Xinjiang is one of China’s five autonomous regions and its Uighur residents are often prevented from leaving the region and they have to face other restrictions enacted by Beijing. China calls these incidents as terror attacks and blames the Uighur separatists, claiming that they have links with foreign militant outfits of East Turkestan Islamic Movement (ETIM).

It was not sure whether Tuesday’s assailants were linked to ETIM or not which has carried out a string of attacks inside and outside China creating violence. The local government called the assailants as “thugs”. The police said that they are investigating the incident and peace has been restored in the region.

Dilxat Raxit, an overseas spokesman for Uighurs who was in contact with residents of the region, said the local security forces have put Pishan under lockdown, with more armed officers who are guarding roads and residents county residents are barred from leaving the area. At least two Uighurs have been detained for sharing videos of the scene.