Uyghur police officer killed in axe attack

A 29-year-old Xinjiang police officer was killed in an axe attack on Monday, and the killer was shot dead at the scene, according to a Sina Weibo post published Wednesday morning by the Ministry of Public Security.

The criminal from Aksu Prefecture attacked the police officer Osmanjan while he was on duty at Xinya community in Sayibak district of Urumqi at around 7:20 pm on Monday. After that he proceeded to a nearby police station with the weapon and was shot by armed police.

Osmanjan was sent to hospital immediately but later died. He had a 1-month-old son, the Ministry of Public Security post said.

A Tianshan district traffic police officer, whose online name is Arkin222, posted a similar message on his Sina Weibo account, adding that the criminal was using a knife and an axe. He also reminded fellow police officers to be cautious when on duty.

An owner of a nearby hardware shop confirmed with the Global Times that someone assaulted a police officer, but could not provide details of the attack.

An employee at an auto repair shop about 100 meters north of the police station said he heard of the news too, adding that the police officer was attacked from behind by an axe.

Osmanjan's fellow police officers recorded and posted a farewell video on their Tencent Weibo account on Tuesday.

According to information released by Urumqi Public Security Bureau, four attacks on police and civilians took place in Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region this year.

On February 14, two policemen and two civilians were injured in an attack by criminals in Wushi county of Aksu Prefecture. Eight terrorists were shot dead by police and three killed by their own suicide bombs.

On January 25, criminals attacked policemen with explosives, six were shot dead by police, and six others killed themselves with explosives in Xinhe county of Aksu Prefecture.

On January 24, also in Xinhe, one person was killed and two were wounded in two explosions in a barbershop and a grocery market.