Urumqi-bound plane turned back to Afghanistan following bomb threat

Kabul, Aug.10 (ANI): A plane flying from Afghanistan to Urumqi, the capital of northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, was refused permission to land after it was reported that there was a bomb onboard.

The official Xinhua news agency quoted armed police sources as saying on Monday that Urumqi airport had received an order from the aviation authorities to deny the plane's landing in the city. The sources previously told Xinhua that the plane had been hijacked.

Armed police and emergency vehicles were rushed to the Urumqi Diwopu International Airport for emergency response.

The China-bound Afghan plane with Kam Airlines later landed at Kandahar Airport on Sunday night, according to a Kabul International Airport official.

"The plane would return to Kabul after two hours," he added.

The Boeing-767 plane was carrying more than 200 passengers, including five Chinese. (ANI)