Crackdown starts

China announced the launch of a one-year campaign on Friday to fight terrorism and violence in Xinjiang.

The special operation, which will involve "extremely tough measures and extraordinary methods", will last until June 2015.

The regional government said it would combine the forces of legal authorities, the People's Liberation Army and armed police to focus on busting terrorist cells and extreme religious groups. The joint force would also target workshops making guns and explosives as well as terrorist training camps.