12 mobsters shot dead by police in Urumqi riots: Official

Beijing, July 19 (ANI): Government of China's riot-hit Xinjiang region has said that police "resolutely" shot 12 mobsters in the regional capital Urumqi.

The chairman of the regional government, Nur Bekri, said that on the night of July 5, policemen tried to warn rioters by firing guns into the air, but it had no effects on these "extremely vicious" thugs.

Three of them died on the spot while nine died after failing treatment.

"The police showed as much restraint as possible during the unrest. Many of them were injured and a 31-year-old officer was killed. He was hit by mobsters in the head with a stone," China Daily quoted Nur Bekri, as saying.

He added thugs used iron rods, stones, and knives during the protests which injured many innocent people. The riot has left a total of 197 people dead.

He admitted that they had never expected a student parade could turn into such ferocious violence.

"But we could never imagine that the mobsters were so extremely vicious and inhumane... We really didn't expect that," he said, referring to thugs entering small alleys and lanes to attack innocent people.

Nur Bekri added that his government has the confidence to erase the negative impacts of the July 5 riot "in the shortest time."

Nur Bekri said as the local situation is becoming more stable, "it won't be long" before the Internet was completely reopened to the public.

During the riot, the Internet and cell phone messages became the main communication methods for mobsters, and it was necessary for the government to shut down the Internet to stabilize people's emotions and restore social order, he said.

He pointed out this is a measure all countries in the world would adopt in similar situations. (ANI)