Massacre at Chinese coal mine: Knife-wielding separatists blamed for attack in Xinjiang that killed at least 50 as racial tensions flare
September 18 attack at mine in Aksu, involving mostly Han Chinese victims, revealed as leading official Yu Zhengsheng warns of 'very serious situation' facing the region
We must fully recognise that Xinjiang faces a very serious situation in maintaining long-term social stability, and we must make a serious crackdown on violent terror activities the focal point of our struggle
At least 50 people died in September in an attack on a Chinese coal mine in the far-western region of Xinjiang, Radio Free Asia reported on Thursday.
The news came after a visiting senior mainland leader warned that the security situation in the violence-prone region was “very serious”.
The United States-based Radio Free Asia said the number of people killed in the September 18 attack at the Sogan colliery in Aksu had reached 50, with most casualties among members of the Han Chinese majority.
Police have blamed the attack on knife-wielding separatists.
The attack was reported as the country marked 60 years since the establishment of what it calls the Xinjiang Autonomous Region, complete with images on state television of happy ethnic minorities dressed in colourful outfits dancing in celebration.
On Wednesday Yu Zhengsheng, in charge of religious groups and ethnic minorities and the fourth-ranked leader in the ruling Communist Party, told officials at an event marking the 60th anniversary in the regional capital, Urumqi, not to rest on their laurels.