30,000 locals join mass hunt for Xinjiang terror suspects

Source:Xinhua-Global Times Published: 2014-8-2 0:53:01

Nine terror suspects were killed and one was captured in Hotan prefecture, Northwest China's Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region on Friday with the help of more than 30,000 volunteers, police said. 

Local police began a search Friday of a suspected terrorist group identified on July 27 according to clues provided by over 70 local residents, the Xinhua News Agency reported.

The suspects were spotted by local residents in a corn field in Moyu county at around 12:15 pm on Friday. 

More than 30,000 residents joined the police search team upon hearing of the move, and cordoned the suspects in an abandoned house.

Police fired shots when the suspects hurled explosive devices at them and the crowd, killing nine and catching one.

No casualties were reported among police officers and civilians.

 Public reports have become an effective tool in fighting terrorism in Xinjiang. Tip-offs from the public have led to the arrest of more than 60 terrorists and religious extremists in Xinjiang up until mid-June since police launched an anti-terrorism campaign on May 23, Xinhua reported.

By mid-June, police said they had busted nine terrorist groups and one religious extremist group on the strength of more than 300 pieces of information provided by local people. They also seized nearly 160 explosive devices, 40 kilograms of explosive materials and memory cards storing content related to jihad, or "holy war."



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