Chinese Police Kill Nearly 30 Suspected Terrorists in Two Months

Chinese police busted a gang said to be responsible for attacking a Xinjiang coal mine in September and killing 16 people.

BEIJING (Sputnik) – Police in the northwest Chinese autonomous province of Xinjiang have killed 28 members of an extremist group suspected of attacking one of the region’s coal mines in September, local media cited authorities as saying Friday.

"Xinjiang police have busted a terrorist gang and killed [28] members in a 56-day hunt, local publicity authority announced," the Xinhua news agency reported.

The group is said to be responsible for an attack on a Xinjiang coal mine on September 18 on the western frontier of the autonomous region. A total of 16 people, including 11 civilians, three police officers and two Urban Management Law Enforcement officers – known as the para-police – were killed in the attack and 18 others injured.

A 29th suspect has reportedly surrendered to authorities.

Members of the group are said to have been drawn to religious extremism beginning in 2008 and are alleged to have been backed by members of "foreign extremist organizations."

Xinjiang is home to China’s mainly Muslim Uyghur minority and has seen anti-government insurgent violence. At least 200 people have died in attacks allegedly carried out by Uyghur separatists over the past two years.