China executes 13 for Xinjiang attacks

China executed 13 people on Monday over terrorism and violent crimes in the far western region of Xinjiang, including three men accused in an attack that left at least 34 people dead. The executions took place on the same day that a Xinjiang court sentenced three other people to death for planning a deadly car ramming at Beijing’s Tiananmen Gate last year — that killed five people.

In one case, three defendants were convicted of organising and leading terrorists to attack police station, hotel, government office building and other venues, killing 24 police officers and civilians and injuring 23 others.

Xinhua state media

China’s government has been waging a harsh crackdown after a series of deadly attacks blamed on Muslim separatists in the Xinjiang region. The government says it faces grave terrorist threats from people seeking independence for Xinjiang, home to the Muslim Uighur ethnic minority, and has vowed severe punishments.