China suspects role of Xinjiang separatists in Kunming knife attack

Following the recent terrorist attack, in which 29 people were brutally killed by black-clad men using knives and machetes in China, the country's president Xi Jinping has reportedly called for efforts to bring the assailants to justice.

The Chinese officials have blamed Xinjiang separatists for the knife attack that was carried out at a crowded railway station.

According to the Guardian, it is the first time people from the north-western region have been accused of such a major and organized attack outside its borders, despite rising unrest there in recent years.

Tension has been brewing in the region for long with Muslim and Turkic-speaking Uighur ethnic group chafing at Chinese policies, while a smaller number demanding an independent state.

Meanwhile, Xi asked security officials to severely punish the violent terrorists and resolutely crack down on those who have been swollen with arrogance in accordance with the law, and asked them to understand the serious and complex nature of combating terrorism while urging them to go all out to maintain social stability.