On February 25, 1997, 3 bombs exploded on 3 buses (lines 2, 10, and 44) in
Ürümqi
Ürümqi ( ; also spelled Ürümchi or without umlauts), formerly known as Dihua (also spelled Tihwa), is the capital of the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region in the far northwest of the People's Republic of China. Ürümqi developed its ...
,
Xinjiang
Xinjiang, SASM/GNC: ''Xinjang''; zh, c=, p=Xīnjiāng; formerly romanized as Sinkiang (, ), officially the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region (XUAR), is an autonomous region of the People's Republic of China (PRC), located in the northwest ...
,
China. 9 people were killed, including at least 3 children, and a further 28 were injured. Another 2 devices in the south railway station (the main station in
Ürümqi
Ürümqi ( ; also spelled Ürümchi or without umlauts), formerly known as Dihua (also spelled Tihwa), is the capital of the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region in the far northwest of the People's Republic of China. Ürümqi developed its ...
) failed to explode. Steel balls, screws, and nails were found in the bombs.
Uyghur separatists had committed the bombings. Responsibility for the attacks was claimed and acknowledged by factions of certain diaspora Uyghurs.
Background
Continuing tensions in Xinjiang have been a source of
terrorism in China. Conflicts over
Uyghur cultural aspirations resurfaced during the 1960s. In early February 1997, the execution of 30 suspected separatists who had been involved in the organization of
Meshrep during
Ramadan resulted in large demonstrations, culminating in the
Gulja incident on February 5th, where at least 9 protesters were killed.
"China Uighurs executed", BBC News, 27 January 1998
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External reference
References
Mass murder in 1997
Terrorist incidents in China
Bus bombings in Asia
Improvised explosive device bombings in China
Urumqi 1997
China
Terrorist incidents in China in 1997
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