At least 14 killed after weekend riots in restive northwest China

2011-07-31 21:16:12 GMT+7 (ICT)

XINJIANG, CHINA (BNO NEWS) -- Chinese police on Sunday shot dead four suspects after 10 people were killed in weekend violence in the restive northwest Chinese region of Xinjiang.

The state-run Xinhua news agency reported that police killed four suspects and arrested four more in the city of Kashi on Sunday afternoon. Police are hunting for four other suspects after violence broke out in the troubled ethnic region.

Local sources had earlier said three people died from a blast at the scene, but witnesses said the victims were hacked to death by the rioters, Xinhua said. More than 10 pedestrians and police officers were injured during the mob attack.

Sunday's violence came after at least seven people were killed by rioters on Saturday night in the same city. Two suspects hijacked a truck, stabbed the driver to death and drove the vehicle into pedestrians before jumping out and attacking bystanders.

At least six people were killed on the spot and 28 others were injured, according to Xinhua. One of the rioters died when fighting with local people, and the other was arrested. Before the incident two blasts were heard -- one from a minivan and the other from a street food stall where the attackers hijacked the truck.

The province of Xinjiang, home to China's Uygur minority and other ethnic groups, has seen violent ethnic riots in the past. On July 18, police shot 14 "rioters" who attacked a police station and killed four people in Xinjiang's Hotan city.

This was the worst violence since 2009 when rock-flinging and knife-wielding rioters looted shops, torched vehicles and killed nearly 200 people.

-- © BNO News All rights reserved 2011-07-31

What's with the use of the word "restive" in the title. I see the same word used when something bad happens in the south of thailand?

Is it restive because they are sleeping? Really would like some TV editorial expert to enlighten me.

res·tive/ˈrestiv/Adjective

1. (of a person) Unable to keep still or silent and becoming increasingly difficult to control.