Xinjiang attacks masterminded by overseas-trained terrorists: (Chinese) government

KASHGAR, Aug. 1 (Xinhua) — A group of religious extremists led by culprits trained in overseas terrorist camps were behind the weekend attack on civilians in China’s far-western Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region that left 6 dead and 15 others wounded, the local government said Monday.

Initial probe has shown that the heads of the group had learned skills of making explosives and firearms in overseas camps of the terrorist group “East Turkistan Islamic Movement” (ETIM) in Pakistan before entering Xinjiang to organize terrorist activities, the government of Kashgar City said in an online statement.

Six civilians were killed, 15 others — including three policemen — were injured after attackers set fire on a restaurant and started a killing rampage on civilians in Kashgar on Sunday. Five suspects were shot dead by police.

The government on Monday also issued arrest warrants on two suspects who fled the scene. The two were identified as 29-year-old Memtieli Tiliwaldi and 34-year-old Turson Hasan. Both are local ethnic Uygurs and have primary school education, according to the warrants.

The police offer 100,000 yuan (15,384 U.S. dollars) for information leading to the arrest of any of the two.

The Sunday attack was the second violence that erupted in Kashgar over the weekend. On Saturday night, two people hijacked a truck after killing the driver and drove into crowds. The suspects then jumped out of the truck and hacked random bystanders.

Eight civilians were killed while 27 others were injured. One of the suspect was killed in the clash while the other was apprehended.

The local government did not specifically call Saturday’s violence a terrorist attack.