The United States on Monday condemned attack on policemen in China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, saying that the U.S. was "saddened at the loss of life and injuries caused by the attack."
"We strongly condemn acts of violence such as the Aug. 4 attack in Kashgar (Kashi). We're saddened at the loss of life and injuries caused by the attack and extend our condolences to the victims and their families," said State Department spokesman Gonzalo Gallegos, responding to a question at a daily news briefing.
"The Chinese authorities have detained suspects in the attack, but we don't have any further information at this time," he said.
Two attackers drove a tip lorry to hit a team of policemen who were jogging through the street in a morning exercise at about 8 a.m. on Monday in China's western most city of Kashi, 1,400 km southwest of Xinjiang's capital Urumqi.
Fourteen policemen were killed on the spot and two others died on the way to hospital. The two attackers had been arrested, said the police.
The regional public security department said it had got intelligence that the "East Turkistan Islamic Movement" planned to make terrorist attacks during Aug. 1-8, just ahead of the opening of the Olympic Games in Beijing scheduled for Aug. 8.
Chinese police foiled an attempted sabotage instigated and conducted by the "Eastern Turkistan" separatists on board a Southern Airlines flight in March. Three suspects detained by police fully admitted that the attack was masterminded.
The "East Turkistan Islamic Movement" is one of the main security worries to the Olympics, which also include separatist forces for "Tibet independence," and the Falun Gong cult, according to security officials for the Games.
(Xinhua News Agency August 5, 2008)
