At least 31 people were killed and nearly 100 injured during a series of explosions in a crowded market in the capital of the Xinjiang region of China this morning. A witness told CNN that many of the victims at the open-air shopping area were elderly: “It’s mainly people coming to trade vegetables, especially the elderly who get up early and buy vegetables to cook.” Just before 8 a.m., two vehicles plowed into the market area, as passengers threw explosive devices out of the windows. Moments later, both SUVs exploded. It’s the latest in a series of recent attacks in the region, and comes just a day after 39 people were sentenced by local courts for “inciting violence.”
Last month, Islamic separatist perpetrated a knife attack in the region, in which 79 people were injured and three died. Though it’s unclear who is behind the most recent attacks, some Chinese officials have blamed a group called East Turkestan Islamic Movement for recent violence. The E.T.I.M. is made up mostly by Uyghurs, an ethnic minority in the region, some of whom have complained about mistreatment from the Han Chinese people, who make up the majority of the population …
