140 killed in riots in China

Chinese authorities say 140 people died and more than 800 were injured in rioting in the restive Xinjiang region.

The riots swept Urumqi, the capital of the mainly Muslim region, yesterday.

They pitted the Uyghur ethnic minority against security forces.

The demonstrators said the protests started peacefully.

An unnamed chinese official said the unrest was masterminded by the World Uyghur Congress, led by Rebiya Kadeer, a businesswoman in exile in the United States.

Exiled Uyghur groups say they are angry over government policies and the economic dominance of the Han Chinese.

Xinjiang, in the northwest, is the doorway to China’s trade ties with central Asia, and is rich in natural gas, minerals, and farm produce. Many Uyghurs say they see little of this wealth.

Hundreds of people were arrested during the clashes and several areas of Urumqi were cordoned off.

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tags: China, Clashes