Xinjiang cops burn seized matchboxes on terror fears

Police in Fukang, Northwest China's Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region burned more than 20,000 boxes of confiscated matches for fear that chemicals extracted from the matches could be used to make explosives for terror attacks.

Fukang police said the move, which took place on July 8, was part of a year-long campaign to crack down on terrorism and that the city has already issued documents demanding matches be removed from stores.

The anti-terrorism campaign will last until June 2015 with Xinjiang as the major battleground.

According to previous media reports, red phosphorus used in the manufacture of matchbox striking surfaces is a key ingredient in making detonators for some homemade explosive devices.

It was reported that the red phosphorus extracted from one matchbox can be used to make 20 detonators.

Xinjiang has seen multiple terror attacks since the beginning of this year.

On May 22, explosions took place in an open air market in Urumqi, capital of Xinjiang, leaving 39 dead and more than 90 injured.

On April 30, three people were killed and 79 injured in an terror attack involving self-made explosives at a railway station in Urumqi.

The grave situation has prompted authorities to crack down on terrorism with an unforeseen strength.

China has also launched a campaign to rid the Internet of audio and video materials that promote terrorism as many terrorists learned how to make bombs through online videos.