Terrorist attack on market in China's restive Xinjiang region kills more than 30

A car was used to set off multiple explosives at Xinjiang region on Thursday killing 31 people and injuring more than 90.

13:34 22 May 2014

Two SUVs ploughed through crowds of shoppers in Xinjiang Region on Thursday, crashing through metal barriers and hurling explosives as they went before they crashed head-on into each other. According to the media reports, one of the cars exploded, with flames shooting as high as a one-story building. 

 

One witness said: “At close to 8am, there were multiple explosions at the morning market near the Cultural Palace in Urumqi. I was less than 100 meters from the scene and I could see flames and heavy smoke. There were vehicles and goods burning. Vendors left their goods behind and fled. ”

 

This is so far the deadliest in a series of recent terrorist attacks linked to Xinjiang. Regional government condemned the attack saying it is  “a serious violent terrorist incident of a particularly vile nature.” President Xi Jimping pledged to severely punish terrorist and spare no efforts in maintaining stability. 

 

Islamist extremists from Xinjiang are blamed for the recent attack including two other significant terrorist attacks outside the region in recent months.