On February 25, 1997, 3 bombs exploded on 3 buses (lines 2, 10, and 44) in Ürümqi, Xinjiang, China. 9 people were killed, including at least 3 children, and a further 28 were injured. Another 2 devices in the south railway station (the main station in Ürümqi) failed to explode. Steel balls, screws, and nails were found in the bombs.
| 1997 Ürümqi bus bombings | |
|---|---|
| Part of the Xinjiang conflict | |
 Location of Ürümqi in Xinjiang, China | |
| Location | Ürümqi, Xinjiang, China |
| Date | February 25, 1997 |
Attack type | Bus bombing |
| Deaths | 9 (including 3 children) |
| Injured | 28 |
| Perpetrators | Uyghur separatists |
Uyghur separatists had committed the bombings. Responsibility for the attacks was claimed and acknowledged by factions of certain diaspora Uyghurs.[1][2]
Background edit
Continuing tensions in Xinjiang have been a source of terrorism in China. Conflicts over Uyghur cultural aspirations resurfaced during the 1960s. In early February 1997, the execution of 30 suspected separatists[3] who had been involved in the organization of Meshrep[4] during Ramadan resulted in large demonstrations, culminating in the Gulja incident on February 5, where at least 9 protesters were killed.[5]
External reference edit
- 新疆遭遇的暴力恐怖事件(cn) Archived 2007-09-29 at the Wayback Machine
- 新疆曾遭遇暴力恐怖高峰(cn)
References edit
- ^ Lecturer in Modern Chinese History in the Department of East Asian Studies Michael Dillon; Michael Dillon (23 October 2003). Xinjiang: China's Muslim Far Northwest. Routledge. pp. 99–. ISBN 978-1-134-36096-3.
- ^ James A. Millward (2007). Eurasian Crossroads: A History of Xinjiang. Columbia University Press. pp. 333–. ISBN 978-0-231-13924-3.
- ^ 1997 Channel 4 (UK) news report on the incident which can be seen here
- ^ Amnesty International Document - "China: Remember the Gulja massacre? China's crackdown on peaceful protesters", Web Action WA 003/07 AI Index: ASA 17/002/2007, Start date: 01/02/2007 "China: Remember the Gulja massacre? China's crackdown on peaceful protesters". Retrieved 2013-05-05.
- ^ "China Uighurs executed", BBC News, 27 January 1998
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