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Explosion at China Xinjiang railway station | Explosion at China Xinjiang railway station |
(35 minutes later) | |
An explosion has hit a railway station in China's western Xinjiang region, injuring a number of people, state media report. | An explosion has hit a railway station in China's western Xinjiang region, injuring a number of people, state media report. |
The blast hit Urumqi's south railway station on Wednesday evening, state media said. The cause is not clear, but one report said at least 50 were hurt. | The blast hit Urumqi's south railway station on Wednesday evening, state media said. The cause is not clear, but one report said at least 50 were hurt. |
Xinjiang has experienced several violent clashes over the past months. | Xinjiang has experienced several violent clashes over the past months. |
China's President Xi Jinping visited the region this week, and has promised to step up anti-terrorism efforts. | China's President Xi Jinping visited the region this week, and has promised to step up anti-terrorism efforts. |
Verifying reports from the region is difficult because the flow of information out of Xinjiang is tightly controlled. | Verifying reports from the region is difficult because the flow of information out of Xinjiang is tightly controlled. |
'Debris and suitcases' | 'Debris and suitcases' |
"A blast occurred at Xinjiang's Urumqi train station at around 19:00 tonight, and there are injured personnel," state-run newspaper People's Daily said on its verified microblog feed. | "A blast occurred at Xinjiang's Urumqi train station at around 19:00 tonight, and there are injured personnel," state-run newspaper People's Daily said on its verified microblog feed. |
Meanwhile, The Beijing News said at least 50 people had been injured, citing police officers. | Meanwhile, The Beijing News said at least 50 people had been injured, citing police officers. |
Witnesses told Xinhua news agency that the explosion appeared to be centred around luggage left on the ground between a station exit and a bus stop. | |
Photos on social media, which could not be independently verified, appeared to show suitcases and debris strewn across a street after the blast. | Photos on social media, which could not be independently verified, appeared to show suitcases and debris strewn across a street after the blast. |
However, several microblog posts and photos related to the explosion appeared to have been quickly deleted from Sina Weibo, China's largest microblog platform. | However, several microblog posts and photos related to the explosion appeared to have been quickly deleted from Sina Weibo, China's largest microblog platform. |
Luo Fuyong, a spokesman for the regional government, told Reuters news agency the situation was now "well under control". | |
"The wounded are receiving medical attention. Public security forces are on the scene dealing with it," he said. | |
The government was assessing casualties and the cause of the explosion, Mr Luo added. | The government was assessing casualties and the cause of the explosion, Mr Luo added. |
The station was scheduled to launch three new intercity railway lines linking Urumqi with three other cities in Xinjiang on Thursday, Xinhua said. | |
The blast also came as President Xi Jinping completed a visit to Xinjiang - the first since he became president in 2012. | |
During the visit, Xinhua news agency said Mr Xi had vowed to deploy a "strike-first approach against terrorists in the region", and said the province's long-term stability was "vital to the whole country's reform, development and stability". | |
Xinjiang has witnessed serious ethnic tensions in recent years, the BBC's Martin Patience in Beijing reports. | Xinjiang has witnessed serious ethnic tensions in recent years, the BBC's Martin Patience in Beijing reports. |
The region is home to the country's Uighur Muslim minority, who have long complained of repression under Chinese rule - an accusation Beijing denies, our correspondent adds. | The region is home to the country's Uighur Muslim minority, who have long complained of repression under Chinese rule - an accusation Beijing denies, our correspondent adds. |
In March, Chinese officials blamed separatists from the Xinjiang region for a mass knife attack in Kunming, south-west China, which killed 29 and left more than 130 injured. | In March, Chinese officials blamed separatists from the Xinjiang region for a mass knife attack in Kunming, south-west China, which killed 29 and left more than 130 injured. |