Police exercised 'great restraint' in quelling riots

Police showed great restraint and used no lethal force in dealing with the riots in Lhasa last Friday, the chairman of the Tibet autonomous regional government said yesterday.

"The riots caused heavy loss of life and property, and seriously disturbed social order," Qiangba Puncog told a news briefing in Beijing.

Thirteen innocent civilians were burned or stabbed to death, he said, adding that calm had returned to Lhasa.