11 killed in new attacks in China's Xinjiang; toll up to 25

Beijing, Aug 1: Violence flared up again in China's troubled Xinjiang province, with six civilians and five suspected "terrorists" being killed in attacks engineered reportedly by Uyghur separatists, taking the death toll in two days of bloodshed to 25.

Violent attacks continued in Kashghar city of the volatile province, whose capital Urumqi witnessed massive riots in 2009 claiming almost 200 lives.

Chinese state-run Xinhua news agency reported that five ''suspects'' were shot dead by police last night, while four others were nabbed.

At least 14 people, including a Chinese police officer, were killed earlier in a spate of violent incidents. Fresh attacks left six civilians dead and 15 others, including three policemen, injured.

The local government said in a statement that a "group of armed terrorists" broke into a restaurant in the city centre in Kashghar about 4 p m on Sunday and killed the restaurant owner and a waiter besides setting fire to it.

"They then ran out and hacked civilians indiscriminately, leaving four dead and 12 injured, while police and fire fighters were striving to put out the fire," it said.

Police then opened fire and killed four ''suspects'' at the scene, while another ''suspect'' died later in hospital, it said, adding it was a "premeditated terrorist attack".

Police have condoned off the area where the violence occurred and all shops on the commercial street have closed.

Police have also imposed traffic controls on major roads and squares by midnight in the oasis city in southern Xinjiang.

PTI