03 June,2009 02:53 PM IST | | Agencies
Chinese authorities have uncovered and smashed seven terror cells this year in the country's predominantly Muslim region of Xinjiang, bordering Afghanistan, Pakistan and India.
The cells were uncovered in the city of Kashgar, China's westernmost city lying to the west of the Indian city of Leh, The China Daily reported, admitting that terrorist networks have sprouted and are active in its sensitive region.
Kashgar is the capital city of the region called Chinese Turkestan and the cultural centre of the Uighurs, the Muslim Ethnic group, which has raised a banner of revolt against the Chinese rule. Xinjiang is home to over eight million Uighurs.
"Seven terrorist cells have been uncovered and destroyed in just four months of this year, in one of the country's most remote border regions." Zhang Jian, Party Secretary of Kashi, Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region, said.
The whole region faced an "ongoing threat" from terrorists who remote control local operatives from abroad using internet, the Paper quoted Zhang as saying. On August 4 last year, the Uighurs men armed with guns, knives, axes and explosives attacked the police, killing 17 and injuring 15.
