Ethnic clashes in northwest China continue

Ethnic clashes in northwest China continued on Tuesday as thousands of Han Chinese took to the streets to demand revenge for a last week's protest by Uighur Muslims that killed 156 Han Chinese and injured nearly 1,000. A group of Uighur leaders has called on the United States to intervene, but the White House has said the circumstances of the riots are still unclear, AHN reports.

Photo: Ethnic clashes in northwest China continue

Ethnic clashes in northwest China continue

Thousands of Chinese, many wielding sticks, clubs and knives, marched today through Uighur neighborhoods of the northwestern city of Urumqi chanting "blood for blood'' and singing the Chinese national anthem, The Los Angeles Times reports.

Police attempted to disperse today's mob with teargas as they headed towards a predominantly Uighur area, but many were still on the streets armed with whatever came to hand: wooden staves, iron bars, metal chains, numchuks, shovels and axes.

Rioters smashed Uighur restaurants, threw rocks at a mosque and threatened residents of Uighur areas, although moderates in the crowd attempted to restrain them.

"They attacked us. Now it's our turn to attack them," one protester told Reuters. Another said: "We're here to demand security for ourselves. They killed children in cold blood."

"It's your time to suffer," they shouted at some of the five- and six-storey apartment blocks lining Xinfu Road, guardian.co.uk reports.