Beijing (AsiaNews / Agencies) - Authorities in the northern province of Xinjiang have identified two suspects in the bombing that yesterday hit Aksu, a Northern province. Two people, a man and a woman, were identified although the second seems to have died in the blast, which caused seven deaths and 14 wounded.
Regional government spokesman Hou Hanmin, stated the male author of the attack, who belongs to the Muslim Uyghur minority, has been arrested. According to the spokesman, the man threw a three-wheeled bicycle packed with explosives at a group of people in a street in the suburb of Aksu, 50 meters from Duolang bridge.
Hou said that it is unclear if the attack is linked to ethnic tensions, but added that most of the victims were Uyghurs or from other minorities. Witnesses report that several policemen were wounded in their attempt to stop the man. The police also closed the area and the city centre, inspecting the bags of all passersby. However, Hou denies that martial law is in force.
Xinjiang is home to a minority of eight million Uyghurs out of a population of 20 million people. Last year the region was the scene of violence between Uyghurs and Han Chinese which caused the deaths of at least 200 people.