Attacks on Xinjiang and Beyond

From 1990-2016, China considered the terrorism problem to be particularly severe in Xinjiang. The full extent and scale of terrorism in China and its casualties are still not available to the public.

Below is a list of publicly available information about attacks in China and on Chinese citizens abroad from 1990 to 2016. As can be seen in the information below, Xinjiang’s minority peoples, especially Uyghurs, were among those who suffered most from the long-standing terrorism crisis in China. This provides context for China’s policy decisions throughout the two decades, ultimately culminating in the “Strike Hard” against terrorism campaign in May 2014 and the ending of absolute poverty in Xinjiang in November 2020.

Note: Date format is YYYY/MM/DD

There are discrepancies in the usage of romanization systems for the Uyghur language across media. This report will attempt to prioritize the SASM/GNC romanizations and will note instances in which this system is not used, along with Uyghur script for clarity.

1990/4/5 - Baren Township Riots

  • Militants used firearms, explosives, grenades, and other weapons, and assembled 200 people to besiege the Baren Township government hall. They took 10 hostages, killed 6 military police, and destroyed two automobiles.

1991/2/28

  • Militants bombed a cinema in a passenger station in Kuqa County, killing one and injuring 13. The militants also set an explosive in a Kuqa County shop, but it was not detonated.

1992/2/5 - Urumqi Bus Bombings

  • In the days before the Spring Festival, militants set off two bus explosions, one of Route 52 and one on Route 30, causing 3 dead and 23 injured.

1993/6/17-8/19

  • Militants bombed the Nongji Gongsi Office Building in Kashgar City, causing the structure to collapse, killing 2 and injuring 7.

  • The same group bombed a cinema in Yakan/Shache County on August 1st, injuring 15, and the cultural palace in Hotan City on August 19th, injuring 6. 

1993/8/24 - Attempted Assassination of Mullah Abliz

  • 2 militants stabbed Mullah Abliz, Kargilik/Yecheng County Mosque Director, heavily injuring him.

1996/3/22 - Assassination of Hakimsidik Haji

  • 2 militants charged into Hakimsidik Haji’s house with firearms and executed him. Hakimsidik Haji was Deputy Director of the Islamic Association of Toksu/Xinhe County, and Deputy Director of Toksu/Xinhe County Mosque.

1996/4/29 - 4/29 Assassination Case

  • Around 10 well-armed militants in Kunas Village, Alakaga Township, Kuqa County, charged into the home of Kawul Toka, a Commissar for the CPPCC and delegate for the Xinjiang Congress, and threw 2 bombs, injuring Kawul and his wife, and executed Kawul’s brother, sister-in-law, son, and daughter-in-law. A village cadre Jarup Mamatimin was also injured. The militants detonated themselves on May 2nd after being surrounded by police.

1996/5/12 - Attempted Assassination of Harunhan Haji

  • 4 militants stabbed Harunhan Haji, Deputy Director of the Islamic Association of China and Hatip of Id Kah Mosque in Kashgar, 21 times while on his way to the mosque, injuring him.

  • Harunhan Haji is briefly interviewed in the CGTN documentary Fighting terrorism in Xinjiang (timestamp included in link; Harunhan is written as Harunxan (ھارۇنخان)).

1996/8/27 - Attack on Janggilieski Township Hall

  • 6 militants attacked the government hall in Janggilieski Township, Kargilik/Yecheng County. They cut telephone lines, killed the Township’s Deputy Mayor and one police personnel on duty, and kidnapped and killed 3 security officers and 1 plumber 10 km out into the desert.

1997/2/5 - 1997 Yining Disturbance

  • Militants incited a mob of about 1,000, killed 7 people, and injured 198 civilians, police, and military police (64 heavily injured) across two days.

1997/2/25 - Urumqi Bus Bombings

  • Militants bombed three buses on the 2, 10, and 44 Routes, causing 9 dead (including Uyghurs, Hui, Kyrgyz, and Han) and 68 injured.

1997/3/23 - Assassination of Amarjan

  • Militants assassinated Amarjan, a person in charge of Aksu Prefecture’s Jinyinchuan Reclamation Area, and his wife in their home.

1997/6/4 - Assassination of Mamatrozi Mamat

  • 4 militants assassinated Mamatrozi Mamat, a cadre in charge of an undeveloped village in Purqakqi Township, Karakax/Moyu County, in his home.

1997/7/3 - Assassination Case

  • Militants assassinated the wife of Turdiniyaz, a cadre of Baxeriq Township, Awat County.

1997/11/6 - Assassination of Mullah Yunus Sidik

  • A group of militants executed Mullah Yunus Sidik, Commissioner of the Islamic Association of China, Director of Islamic Association of Akto County, Director of Bay County Mosque, while on his way to mosque.

1998/1/27 - Assassination of Abliz Haji

  • The same group of militants who assassinated Mullah Yunus Sidik executed Abliz Haji, Director of Bay County Mosque, while on his way to mosque.

1998/1/30-2/18 - Series of Poisonings

  • The East Turkistan Liberation Organization committed a series of 23 poisonings in Kashgar City, poisoning 4 people and killing 1. Thousands of livestock were poisoned or killed.

1998/2/22-3/30 - Kargilik Bombings

  • Militants committed a series of 6 bombings in Kargilik/Yecheng County, injuring 3. A natural gas pipeline was also bombed. 

1998/4/7

  • Militants left 8 explosive devices at the doors of security personnel and political figures in Kargilik/Yecheng County, injuring 8.

1998/5/23

  • East Turkistan Liberation Organization trained militants to enter the country and throw 40 chemical incendiaries in Urumqi, leading to 15 cases of arson.

1999/8/23 - Assassination of Hudabardi Tohti

  • Around 10 militants led by Yasinmamat charged into the home of Hudabardi Tohti, instructor at the police dispatch station of Boskam Township, Poksam/Zepu County, and assassinated him and his son, and burned his wife.

  • Hudabardi’s second daughter Peridem Xudaberdi (پەرىدەم خۇدابەردى) is interviewed in the CGTN documentary Tianshan: Still Standing (timestamp included in link).

1999/10/11

  • 3 militants bombed a cotton wholesaler, destroying two tons of cotton. 

1999/10/24 - Sayli Township Police Station Attack

  • Militants took firearms, knives, and explosives to the police dispatch station of Sayli Township, Poksam/Zepu County and killed 1 affiliated brigade officer and 1 suspect who was in detention for questioning; injured 1 police and another affiliated brigade officer; damaged the police dispatch station, 10 houses, 1 jeep, and 3 motorcycles.

2001/2/3 - Assassination of Mamatjan Yakup

  • Militants assassinated Mamatjan Yakup, a cadre stationed at the Konaxahar/Shufu County Court. 

2003/3/26

  • Regular bus servicing Bishkek-Kashgar attacked 260 km away from Bishkek in Kyrgyzstan and burned. All 21 passengers killed, including 18 Chinese (15 Uyghurs).

2004/6/10

  • 20+ militants attack and kill 11 Chinese workers in Afghanistan near Kunduz.

2008/3/7 - Attempted Airplane Bombing

  • Attempted airplane bombing of CZ 6901 flight from Urumqi to Beijing.

2008/8/4 - Attack on Border Patrol and Police in Kashgar

  • Two militants stole a car and rammed into a group of border patrol and military police from behind and threw explosives, killing 17 and injuring 15. 4 days before the 2008 Beijing Olympics.

2008/8/10 - Kuqa Bombings

  • Militants bombed a supermarket, a hotel, and government buildings in the Kuqa County seat. They killed 1 security personnel, and injured 2 police personnel, 1 security personnel, and 2 civilians. 8 militants were killed at the scene, 2 captured, and 2 self-detonated.

2009/7/5 - 2009 Urumqi Riots

  • With coordination with outside forces, mobs of several thousand carried out violent attacks across the city. 197 dead (134 Han, 11 Hui, 10 Uyghur, 1 Manchu), 1700+ injured, 331 shops destroyed, 1325 vehicles damaged. 

2011/7/18 - 7/18 Hotan Attack

  • 18 militants barged into Narbag Subdistrict police dispatch station in Hotan City wielding sharp weaponry and explosives, killing people and taking 6 hostages. In total, the militants killed 2 police personnel and 4 civilians. The hostages were rescued, and 14 militants were killed at the scene. 

2011/7/30-7/31 - Knife Attack in Kashgar City

  • Two militants hijacked a truck, killed the driver, and rammed the truck into a crowd of people, disembarking to kill passerby. They then killed 6 civilians and injured 28. The surrounding people fought back, and in the struggle, killed one of the militants and captured the other.

  • On the second day, militants attacked and bombed civilians on a pedestrian street near Kashgar’s city center, killing in total 6 people and injuring 15. 4 militants were killed on the scene, and 4 others were captured.

2011/12/28 - 12/28 Guma/Pishan County Kidnapping Case

  • A group of militants took two hostages. In the course of rescue, 1 police personnel was killed, another injured. 7 militants were killed at the scene and 4 were injured and captured. The two hostages were rescued.

2012/2/28 - 2/28 Knife Attack in Kargilik/Yecheng County

  • 9 militants attacked civilians on a pedestrian street, killing 15 and injuring 16. In the course of police response, the leader of the militants was captured and 8 militants were killed; 1 police personnel was killed in action, with 4 police personnel injured.

2012/6/6 - Hotan 6/6 Incident

  • Militants fearing official discovery of an unsanctioned “madrasa” set off explosives to hinder investigation. One 4-year old child was killed when a suspect leapt from a building. Firefighters rescued 53 children aged 4 to 13.

2012/6/29 - Attempted Airplane Hijacking

  • Attempted hijacking of the GS 7554 flight from Hotan to Urumqi by 6 militants.

2013/4/23 - Attack on Serikbuya Town

  • A group of militants making bombs were discovered by three community workers making home visits in Serikbuya Town, Maralbaxi/Bachu County. The three community workers were executed (all Uyghur women: 29-year old Gulbanum Tursun; 24-year old Mehrigul Yusup; 43-year old Horigul Mamat), as well as police called to contain the threat. The 14 militants killed 15 in total (10 Uyghurs, 3 Han, 2 Mongols) and injured 2 (both Uyghurs). 6 of the militants were killed at the scene, 8 captured.

  • The Attack on Serikbuya Town is discussed in the CGTN documentary Fighting terrorism in Xinjiang through the perspective of Hawalgul Abdurehim, a community worker like the three Yengibazar community workers slain in the Serikbuya Attack (timestamp included in link). Hawalgul also visits 79-year old Hushurxan Weli (ھۇشۇرخان ۋەلى), mother of Tahir Ahat, 35-year old Director of Security of Yengibazar Community killed in the Serikbuya Attack.

2013/6/26 - Attack on Lukqun Town

  • Militants attacked the police dispatch station in Lukqun Town, Piqan/Shanshan County, a special patrol squadron, the Lukqun Town Hall and a construction site, killing 24 (16 Uyghurs, 8 Han; 2 women and 2 policemen) and injuring 25. 

2013/10/28 - 2013 Tiananmen Attack

  • 3 militants carried 31 barrels of oil, 20 lighters, 5 machetes and iron bars in a car and rammed into Tiananmen Square via the east side. 2 civilians killed including 1 foreigner, 40 injured.

2013/12/15 - Attack in Saybag Township

  • While police conducted a house search in Saybag Township, Yengixahar/Shule County, 2 were killed by knife-wielding militants wielding explosives. Not heeding warnings, 14 militants were killed at the scene, 2 captured.

2013/12/30 - Attack in Yakan/Shache County

  • County Bureau of Public Security attacked by 9 knife-wielding militants throwing explosives. 8 militants killed on the scene, 1 captured. 

2014/1/24 - Bombing in Toksu/Xinhe County

  • Bombings at a beauty parlor and a vegetables market cause 1 death, 2 injured. In the course of police response, 6 militants killed at the scene, 5 captured, no civilian casualties, one police personnel lightly injured.

2014/2/14 - Attack in Uqturpan/Wushi County

  • Militants ambushed police personnel parked near the entrance to a park with explosives. 8 militants killed at the scene, 3 by self-detonation, 1 militant captured. 

2014/3/1 - Kunming Knife Attack

  • 8 militants attacked civilians in the Kunming Railway station, killing 31 and injuring 141. 4 of the militants were killed at the scene, 1 captured at the scene, and 3 escaped only to be captured later and executed.

2014/4/30 - 4/30 Urumqi Attack

  • 2 militants bombed the exit of the Urumqi South Railway Station and began attacking people with knives, leaving 3 dead (1 civilian and the 2 militants) and injuring 79.

2014/5/22 - 5/22 Urumqi Bombing

  • Ramming and bombing at a morning market on Gongyuan North Street in Saybag District leaves 39 dead and 94 injured. 5 militants were involved with the bombing, with 4 killed on the scene the following day. 

2014/6/21 - Attack in Kargilik/Yecheng County

  • A group of militants rammed into the Kargilik/Yecheng County Bureau of Public Security building and triggered explosives. 13 militants were killed on the scene, and 3 police injured.

2014/7/28 - 7/28 Attack in Yakan/Shache County

  • Militants attack the government hall and a police dispatch station in Elixku Town. The militants also attacked an undeveloped area of Elixku Town, setting fire to passing vehicles and attacking those fleeing. The attacks lead to 37 civilian deaths (35 Han, 2 Uyghur), 13 injured, and 31 smashed cars, among them 6 burned. 59 militants killed at the scene.

2014/7/30 - Assassination of Mullah Juma Tahir

  • 3 militants assassinate Mullah Juma Tahir, 74 years old Deputy Director of Islamic Association of Xinjiang, Director of Id Kah Mosque of Kashgar, after performing religious services. 

  • Son of Juma Tahir, Imam Memet Jume (مەمەت جۈمە), is interviewed in CGTN’s documentary Tianshan: Still Standing (timestamp included in link).

2014/9/21 - Attack on Yangxia Town

  • Militants attacked Yangxia Town’s police dispatch station in Bügür/Luntai County, an agricultural goods market, the Terakbazar Township police dispatch station, and a shop in the county seat with explosives. The militants killed 10 (6 civilians, 4 police), injured 54 (32 Uyghurs, 22 Han), and destroyed 79 cars. Total 40 militants were killed, either by responding police or by self-detonation; 2 militants captured.

  • The stories of Dilqemer (دىلقەمەر), civilian injured in the attack, and Razye (رازىيە), a militant also injured in the attack, are covered in the CGTN documentary Fighting terrorism in Xinjiang (timestamp included in link).

2014/10/10 - Assassination of Parida Keram

  • 2 militants wielding sharp weaponry killed policewoman Parida Keram while she was in the bazaar in Kokterak Township (Guma/Pishan County). Parida was two months pregnant.

2014/11/28 - 11/28 Attack in Yakan/Shache County

  • Militants rammed into a pedestrian area in the county seat and threw explosives, disembarking in order to attack civilians. They killed 4 and injured 14, with 11 militants killed in the course of police response.

2015/9/18 - Attack on a Coal Mine in Bay County

  • A group of militants attacked a coal mine and ambushed police sent to meet the attackers. After 56 days of fighting, 28 militants were killed at the scene, with 1 surrendering. They had killed 16 and injured 18.

2016/9/6

  • Kyrgyzstan’s state security service attributed the suicide bombing of the Chinese Embassy in Bishkek to ETIM/TIP. No deaths.

2016/12/28 - Attack on Karakax Council Hall

  • 4 militants drove into the Karakax/Moyu County Council Hall and set off self-made explosives. 2 dead, 3 injured, all militants killed at the scene. This appears to be the last attack in Xinjiang, since from 2017 on, no attacks were reported.