Factbook: Previous unrests in China's Xinjiang

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2009-07-06 19:45

BEIJING: Backgrounder -- Previous unrests in China's Xinjiang region

-- In January 2007, police destroyed a terrorist training camp in the Pamir plateau, killing 18 terrorists and capturing 17. The police also seized 22 hand grenades and more than 1,500 half-finished grenades, and some home-made explosives. One officer was killed and another injured in the raid.

-- Chinese police smashed a terrorist gang on January 27, 2008 in Urumqi, the regional capital, killing two and arresting 15 others. Five police were injured during the raid when three homemade grenades were thrown at them.

-- On March 7, 2008, a 19-year female, Uygur ethnic, attempted a terrorist attack on a China Southern Airlines flight that left Urumqi for Beijing. The attempt was foiled.

-- Two terrorists, armed with guns, explosives, knives and axes, drove a heavy truck onto a team of more than 70 police in a regular morning exercise in Kashgar on August 4 last year. Seventeen people were killed and 15 injured in the attack four days before the Beijing Olympics.

-- On August 10, 2008, serial explosions occurred in the early hours in some supermarkets, hotels and government buildings in Kuqa County, killing a security guard and injuring two policemen. Eight terrorists were shot dead by police while two others killed themselves by suicidal bombings.