Mob violence in China’s Xinjiang region on Wednesday left 27 people dead, including nine police officers, in one of the bloodiest incidents since unrest in the regional capital killed nearly 200 in 2009, the Associated Press reported.
Police stations, a government building and a construction site were targeted in the attacks, Xinhua News Agency said.
Xinhua said the attackers stabbed victims and set fires before officers shot and killed 10 of the assailants in Lukqun, but the report did not provide details about the cause of the unrest.
The AP was unable to independently confirm the report, but the White House said it was closely following developments in the region, urging Chinese authorities to conduct a thorough investigation.
“We remain deeply concerned by the ongoing reports of discrimination and restrictions against Uighurs and Muslims in China,” State Department spokesman Patrick Ventrell said, according to the AP.
Xinhua’s report said three assailants were seized, and that police pursued fleeing suspects, though it did not say how many. It said three people were injured by the unrest and were being treated, the AP said.
• Jessica Chasmar can be reached at jchasmar@washingtontimes.com.
Please read our comment policy before commenting.