Two dead after serial blasts hit China's Xinjiang province
10 Aug 2008, 0913 Hrs

Add comment          Mail          Print          Write to Editor

Beijing, Aug 10 (ANI): At least two people were killed when Kuqa county in the northwestern Chinese province of Xinjiang was hit by a series of explosions early on Sunday.

The blasts took place between 3:20 a.m. and 4:00 a.m. (local time).

Local military sources said that they expected the casualties to rise.

State media Xinhua reported eyewitnesses as saying that they saw flashes of fire and heard the sound of gunshots soon after the blasts.

Tight security arrangements have been made following the blasts and police has cordoned off the blast site. The blast was held when the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games is underway in Beijing.

Earlier, the Turkistan Islamic Party (TIP) had issued a threat against the Olympic Games and warned Muslims to stay away from the games or be within the vicinity.

The threat was issued in a six-minute video named "Call to the Global Muslim Ummah".

The video features graphics similar to ones used earlier: a burning Olympics logo and an explosion imposed over an apparent Olympic venue. It bears a production date of August 1, 2008.

Last month, the militant group issued similar videotaped threats and claimed responsibility for a series of bus bombings in China in recent months. (ANI)