Day after terrorist attack, residents express shock, anger

Most of the shops and restaurants on the street opened their doors to business a day after the Thursday where 31 people died in a terrorist attack, while residents said they were fearful and angry about the incident.

Normally, stores and restaurants around the fruit and vegetable market on Gongyuanbeilu, the site of the attack, are busy on a Friday, but customers didn't stop by until after noon, when dozens of students from the No 5 Middle School, located on a street corner adjacent to the market, dropped by for lunch.

At a community complex gate near the scene of the attack, as a few residents talked about the incident, armed police and a SWAT team patrolled the street.

On Thursday morning, two cars without license plates plowed into patrons at the packed fruit and vegetable market. The cars' occupants also threw explosives into the crowd, killing 31 and injuring at least 94.

Yang Kaizhou, director of Yangzijiang Road police station, said the fruit and vegetable market on Gongyuan Beilu will be permanently closed.

Although the city seemed to return to business as usual on Friday, residents expressed their indignation at the terrorists.

Regul Shayita, who was injured in the attack, said she underwent surgery at a Chinese hospital. She said she had taken her grandson to school on Thursday morning and was returning home when the explosions occurred.

"I don't understand why these guys threw explosives into the market. They were really inhumane," she said.

Tian Jufeng, 79, was also injured in the attack and received treatment in a local hospital.

"The terrorists were too cruel," he said, sobbing and trembling.

Alif Memet, a community official in the regional capital, said he was saddened to hear that most of the victims were elderly people.

"They had just bought their breakfasts and were ready to share it with their family members, but then the attack occurred," Memet said. "The incident, I believe, has shocked every resident in Xinjiang. We need to enhance our awareness of terrorism and improve self-defense."

Memet said residents should report suspicious people to the local government.

Rezya Habas, deputy director of the road building and management bureau in Urumqi, said the attack trampled on the rule of law. He said people with a conscience will not tolerate such behavior and said the terrorists are the enemy to all nationalities.

Zhao Yan, a teacher at a primary school in the city, said she will tell every student to learn how to protect themselves during class.

"If relatives of the terrorists are also injured in an attack, how would they feel? Don't they have family members?" Zhao said angrily.

In an interview with China Central Television on Friday, Ayitula Yumay, a street sanitation worker, said she is against those who cause harm to people and was sad to hear that the attack injured almost 100 residents.