21 killed in clash between Chinese forces, terrorists

Beijing, April 24 (IANS) A violent clash between suspected terrorists and authorities in northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region left 21 people dead, including 15 community workers and police officers, authorities said Wednesday.

The attacks happened around Tuesday noon in a town of Bachu county, some 1,200 km southwest of Urumqi, regional capital of Xinjiang, reported Xinhua.

Three community workers found knives and suspicious individuals in the home of a local resident. They then reported to their supervisors by phone, but were seized by the suspects hiding in the house.

Police officers and community officials from the township rushed to the scene, but were attacked and killed by the suspects, who also killed the three community workers they had taken hostage earlier and burned the house.

Other police officers who arrived at the scene shot the suspects and got the situation under control.

Two other people from the authorities were also injured in the clash, and eight terrorist suspects were captured.

An initial investigation has indicated that the suspects are all terrorists who were planning violent attacks.