Dozens of casualties reported in attack in China’s Xinjiang – Xinhua

BEIJING (Reuters) – A “terror attack” in China’s western region of Xinjiang resulted in “dozens of casualties”, the official Xinhua news agency said on Tuesday, citing local police.

It gave no further details about the attack in Shache County, Kashgar Prefecture, or why it was only being reported on Tuesday.

Xinjiang has been beset by violence for years, blamed by the government on Islamist militants and separatists it says are bent on establishing an independent state called East Turkestan.

(Reporting by Megha Rajagopalan; Writing by Alison Williams; Editing Kevin Liffey)