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Chinese set themselves on fire Chinese set themselves on fire
(about 2 hours later)
Three men have set themselves on fire in the Chinese capital, Beijing, state media report. Three people have set themselves on fire in the Chinese capital, Beijing, state media says.
The incident happened in a busy shopping area near Tiananmen Square, Xinhua news agency said, quoting a government spokesman. The group were in a car at a busy intersection near Tiananmen Square when they set themselves alight.
The group sat in their vehicle and started the fire at a traffic intersection, the agency said. The fate of the group was unclear and no immediate motive was given for their actions.
The condition of the men was not immediately known, the spokesman said. It was not clear what motivated them. There have been a number of self-immolation incidents in Beijing in recent years. Most involve petitioners with grievances at the government.
The state-run news agency, Xinhua, said it was not known if the three people survived.
Since the suppression of pro-democracy demonstrations in 1989, Tiananmen Square has become a known venue for protest and its traffic is closely watched by the police.
One report suggested at least one of the men was a member of the Muslim Uighur minority from the north-west of China.
But others suggested a possible link to Tibet, which is marking its New Year holiday today.