2008 Kashgar attack
Encyclopedia
The 2008 Kashgar attack was a terrorist attack perpetrated by two men on the morning of August 4, 2008, who attacked a group of police officers while they were jogging near the western city of Kashgar
, in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region
, China
, resulting in the death of sixteen officers.
are the largest ethnic group in ethnically diverse Xinjiang
, making up just over 45% of the population. The Uyghur movement's use of militant separatism has resulted in it being described as a potentially dangerous movement. In particular, the Eastern Turkestan Islamic Movement (ETIM) is a proscribed terrorist organisation according to classification by the United Nations
. Among other incidents, East Turkestan independence movement
organisations have claimed responsibility for the 2008 Kunming bus bombings
; however, China denied that the group was responsible. The Uyghur Human Rights project alleges that China often exaggerates these threats to justify repression of the Uyghur people.
. The Xinhua News Agency
said the attack happened at about 08:00 (00:00 GMT). One of the men drove a dump truck into a group of border patrol police officers as they were jogging on a street. The attacker then got out of the truck and start attacking other officers with homemade explosives. The explosives went off prematurely and blew off one of his arms. The other attacker threw improvised explosive device
s at a nearby police office. He then went into the building with a knife, but was subdued by police officers inside the complex. Both perpetrators were captured during the raid. Fourteen policemen died at the scene and two died on the way to hospital; another 16 policemen were hurt, Xinhua state news agency reported. The attackers were later identified as males, taxi driver Kurbanjan Hemit, 28, and vegetable vendor Abdurahman Azat, 33. They are members of the Uyghur ethnic group, and it was suspected that the attack was a terrorist action by Eastern Turkistan separatists.
The news agency Xinhua claimed in their English-language version that the incident was a terrorist attack; on the other side, in their Chinese language version, the incident was only labeled as a violent crime. Police investigators later claimed that they had found documents calling for a holy war
, a homemade firearm, and nine explosives. Furthermore, the police claimed that the design of these explosives was very similar to the explosives made by the ETIM when Chinese police raided their training facility in January 2007. Xinjiang's regional public security department also claimed that it had received intelligence that the East Turkestan independence movement planned to carry out terrorist attacks during the week before the opening ceremonies of the Olympic games. This incident happened four days before the Beijing Olympics, after repeated warnings in recent months from the Chinese government that militants from the restive Xinjiang region were planning to stage attacks to disrupt the Games.
In September 2008, the New York Times reported that three tourists who witnessed the events disputed central details of the official story. According to the eyewitnesses, no explosions were heard and the attackers appeared to be machete-wielding police officers attacking other uniformed men.
condemned the reported attack and stated that "China is using the 2008 Olympics as an opportunity to further demonise the Uighur people's legitimate and peaceful struggle and justify its heavy-handed repression in the region." The Chinese government reacted with a clampdown in Kashgar and Xinjiang, increasing security checks and restricting independent news coverage.
cameraman and a Japanese TV reporter
, along with two Hong Kong reporters
making reports near the police post were detained by People's Armed Police
. The two Hong Kong reporters were not harmed; however, the Japanese reporters were beaten and punched. All four were released after two hours of detainment. The Japanese government protests the Chinese actions, although it has made no formal statement as there was no confirmation. Chinese officials and police in Kashgar have apologised for the incident, but accused the two men of breaking rules.
Kashgar
Kashgar or Kashi is an oasis city with approximately 350,000 residents in the western part of the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region of the People's Republic of China. Kashgar is the administrative centre of Kashgar Prefecture which has an area of 162,000 km² and a population of approximately...
, in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region
Xinjiang
Xinjiang is an autonomous region of the People's Republic of China. It is the largest Chinese administrative division and spans over 1.6 million km2...
, China
People's Republic of China
China , officially the People's Republic of China , is the most populous country in the world, with over 1.3 billion citizens. Located in East Asia, the country covers approximately 9.6 million square kilometres...
, resulting in the death of sixteen officers.
Background
The UyghursUyghur people
The Uyghur are a Turkic ethnic group living in Eastern and Central Asia. Today, Uyghurs live primarily in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region in the People's Republic of China...
are the largest ethnic group in ethnically diverse Xinjiang
Xinjiang
Xinjiang is an autonomous region of the People's Republic of China. It is the largest Chinese administrative division and spans over 1.6 million km2...
, making up just over 45% of the population. The Uyghur movement's use of militant separatism has resulted in it being described as a potentially dangerous movement. In particular, the Eastern Turkestan Islamic Movement (ETIM) is a proscribed terrorist organisation according to classification by the United Nations
United Nations
The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
. Among other incidents, East Turkestan independence movement
East Turkestan independence movement
The East Turkestan independence movement is a broad term that refers to advocates of an independent, self-governing East Turkestan in the region now known as Xinjiang, an autonomous region in the People's Republic of China.-Historical background:...
organisations have claimed responsibility for the 2008 Kunming bus bombings
2008 Kunming bus bombings
The 2008 Kunming bus bombings occurred on 21 July 2008 when explosions aboard two public buses in downtown Kunming, the capital of southwest China's Yunnan province, killed two people. The explosions were deliberate, according to police. The attacks occurred amid heightened tensions due to the...
; however, China denied that the group was responsible. The Uyghur Human Rights project alleges that China often exaggerates these threats to justify repression of the Uyghur people.
Details
Two attackers were involved in the incident near the western city of KashgarKashgar
Kashgar or Kashi is an oasis city with approximately 350,000 residents in the western part of the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region of the People's Republic of China. Kashgar is the administrative centre of Kashgar Prefecture which has an area of 162,000 km² and a population of approximately...
. The Xinhua News Agency
Xinhua News Agency
The Xinhua News Agency is the official press agency of the government of the People's Republic of China and the biggest center for collecting information and press conferences in the PRC. It is the largest news agency in the PRC, ahead of the China News Service...
said the attack happened at about 08:00 (00:00 GMT). One of the men drove a dump truck into a group of border patrol police officers as they were jogging on a street. The attacker then got out of the truck and start attacking other officers with homemade explosives. The explosives went off prematurely and blew off one of his arms. The other attacker threw improvised explosive device
Improvised explosive device
An improvised explosive device , also known as a roadside bomb, is a homemade bomb constructed and deployed in ways other than in conventional military action...
s at a nearby police office. He then went into the building with a knife, but was subdued by police officers inside the complex. Both perpetrators were captured during the raid. Fourteen policemen died at the scene and two died on the way to hospital; another 16 policemen were hurt, Xinhua state news agency reported. The attackers were later identified as males, taxi driver Kurbanjan Hemit, 28, and vegetable vendor Abdurahman Azat, 33. They are members of the Uyghur ethnic group, and it was suspected that the attack was a terrorist action by Eastern Turkistan separatists.
The news agency Xinhua claimed in their English-language version that the incident was a terrorist attack; on the other side, in their Chinese language version, the incident was only labeled as a violent crime. Police investigators later claimed that they had found documents calling for a holy war
Religious war
A religious war; Latin: bellum sacrum; is a war caused by, or justified by, religious differences. It can involve one state with an established religion against another state with a different religion or a different sect within the same religion, or a religiously motivated group attempting to...
, a homemade firearm, and nine explosives. Furthermore, the police claimed that the design of these explosives was very similar to the explosives made by the ETIM when Chinese police raided their training facility in January 2007. Xinjiang's regional public security department also claimed that it had received intelligence that the East Turkestan independence movement planned to carry out terrorist attacks during the week before the opening ceremonies of the Olympic games. This incident happened four days before the Beijing Olympics, after repeated warnings in recent months from the Chinese government that militants from the restive Xinjiang region were planning to stage attacks to disrupt the Games.
In September 2008, the New York Times reported that three tourists who witnessed the events disputed central details of the official story. According to the eyewitnesses, no explosions were heard and the attackers appeared to be machete-wielding police officers attacking other uniformed men.
Reactions
The exiled Uyghur Muslims leader and human rights activist Rebiya KadeerRebiya Kadeer
Rebiya Kadeer is a prominent Uyghur businesswoman and political activist from the northwest region of Xinjiang Autonomus Region of the People's Republic of China...
condemned the reported attack and stated that "China is using the 2008 Olympics as an opportunity to further demonise the Uighur people's legitimate and peaceful struggle and justify its heavy-handed repression in the region." The Chinese government reacted with a clampdown in Kashgar and Xinjiang, increasing security checks and restricting independent news coverage.
Detention of media
On the night of August 4, a Tokyo ShimbunTokyo Shimbun
The Tokyo Shimbun is a Japanese newspaper published by The Chunichi Shimbun Company. The group publishes newspapers under the brand name of The Tokyo Shimbun in the Tokyo Metropolitan Area and under The Chunichi Shimbun in the Nagoya Metropolitan Area. The group’s combined daily morning...
cameraman and a Japanese TV reporter
Television in Japan
Television broadcasting in Japan started in 1939, making the country one of the first in the world with an experimental television service. In spite of that, because of the beginning of World War II in the Pacific region, this first experimentation lasted only a few months...
, along with two Hong Kong reporters
Media of Hong Kong
Media in Hong Kong are available to the public in the forms of: television and radio, newspapers, magazines and the Internet. They serve the local community by providing necessary information and entertainment.-Overview:...
making reports near the police post were detained by People's Armed Police
People's Armed Police
The People's Armed Police , officially Chinese People's Armed Police Force is a paramilitary or gendarmerie force primarily responsible for civilian policing and fire rescue duties in the People's Republic of China, as well as provide support to PLA during wartime.In contrast to public security...
. The two Hong Kong reporters were not harmed; however, the Japanese reporters were beaten and punched. All four were released after two hours of detainment. The Japanese government protests the Chinese actions, although it has made no formal statement as there was no confirmation. Chinese officials and police in Kashgar have apologised for the incident, but accused the two men of breaking rules.