A screenshot from CCTV shows police and local farmers on horses tracking down the terrorists.
A video released on Monday showed more than 10,000 farmers teaming up with police to trace three terrorists hiding near Tianshan Mountain in the Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region.
In the clip released by State broadcaster China Central Television (CCTV), hoe-wielding farmers from four villages, some riding horses, march deep into the mountains with police.
According to the TV station, the farmers voluntarily joined the search, staged early this year after reports were received from residents that three terrorists might be hiding in the mountains.
As police narrowed down the search for the terrorists' hideout, one suspect sneaked out to go to a nearby village to escape hunger and cold weather. His presence was immediately spotted by locals.
Police identified the person as the leader of the gang and after 62 hours, all three terrorists were captured.
"I did not expect the whole town was looking for me, nor did I think nobody would give me shelter," one of the suspects captured in the hunt says in the video.
"I am firmly against terrorism and detest these violent criminals," a villager says.
Another farmer taking part in the action said they would no longer keep silent about terrorism. "People of all ethnic groups will fight them (the terrorists) together."
At least one policeman was killed during the mission, CCTV said.
Xinjiang launched an anti-terrorism campaign in May last summer after the bombing of a market in the regional capital of Urumqi killed 39 people.
Police have broken up 181 terrorist groups over the past year, the result of a sweeping crackdown in the Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region, local authorities said.
According to the regional government, 96.2 percent of the groups were traced before they were able to commit crimes and 112 suspects surrendered to police.
Residents from all ethnic groups in Xinjiang have played an important role in combating terrorism, as police solved 81 cases as a result of tip-offs during the campaign.
Zheng Liang, a researcher at Xinjiang University who studies issues that affect stability in the region, said terrorism can only be eliminated by collaboration between the government and the public. The government should step up its efforts to communicate effectively with the public, he added.
