Knife-wielding group terrorizes Chinese train station causing mass casualties

[Teelie]

Details are still sparse but it was coordinated and premeditated. One of the witnesses says the group was mostly wearing black but that's all so far. Nothing on their motive although there is a possibility it's related to seperatists or religious and cultural oppression.

At least 28 people were killed by knife-wielding attackers in a "violent terrorist attack" at a train station in the southwestern Chinese city of Kunming, and police shot dead five of the assailants, state media said on Sunday.

Another 113 people were wounded, the official Xinhua news agency said, revising down an earlier higher figure. It said the attack had taken place late on Saturday evening.

"It was an organized, premeditated violent terrorist attack," Xinhua said.

Police shot dead five of the unidentified attackers and were searching for around five others, it said.

Kunming resident Yang Haifei told Xinhua that he was buying a ticket when he saw a group of people, mostly wearing black, rush into the station and start attacking bystanders.

"I saw a person come straight at me with a long knife and I ran away with everyone," he said, adding that the attackers caught those who were slower. "They just fell on the ground."

Graphic pictures on the Twitter-like microblogging service Sina Weibo showed bodies covered in blood lying on the ground at the station.

There was no immediate word on who was responsible.

Chinese President Xi Jinping ordered no effort be spared to track down those behind the attack.

"Severely punish in accordance with the law the violent terrorists and resolutely crack down on those who have been swollen with arrogance," Xinhua quoted him as saying.

"Understand the serious and complex nation of combating terrorism," Xi said. "Go all out to maintain social stability."

Domestic security chief Meng Jianzhu was on his way to the scene, Xinhua said.

Weibo users took to the service to describe details of what happened, though many of those posts were quickly deleted by government censors, especially those that described the attackers, two of whom were identified by some as women.

Others condemned the attack.

"No matter who, for whatever reason, or of what race, chose somewhere so crowded as a train station, and made innocent people their target - they are evil and they should go to hell," wrote one user.

The attack comes at a sensitive time as China gears up for the annual meeting of parliament, which opens in Beijing on Wednesday and is normally accompanied by a tightening of security across the country.

China has blamed similar incidents in the past on Islamist militants operating in the restive far western region of Xinjiang, though such attacks have generally been limited to Xinjiang itself.

China says its first major suicide attack, in Beijing's Tiananmen Square in October, involved militants from Xinjiang, home to the Muslim Uighur people, many of whom chafe at Chinese restrictions on their culture and religion.

Hu Xijin, editor of the influential Global Times newspaper, published by the ruling Communist Party's official People's Daily, wrote on his Weibo feed that the government should say who it suspected of the attack as soon as possible.

"If it was Xinjiang separatists, it needs to be announced promptly, as hearsay should not be allowed to fill the vacuum," Hu wrote.

Reuters

 

[3rdstone]

"No matter who, for whatever reason, or of what race, chose somewhere so crowded as a train station, and made innocent people their target - they are evil and they should go to hell," wrote one user.

I certainly agree. This is utterly horrific, and as usual with simular attacks on random innocent humans, a completely digusting view on what an innocent human life is worth.

 

[MrsKent26]

How awful. The world we live in scares me sometimes. No wonder I rarely travel.

 

[Schlosser85]

Scary.

 

[Doctor Evo]

Details are still sparse but it was coordinated and premeditated. One of the witnesses says the group was mostly black but that's all so far. Nothing on their motive although there is a possibility it's related to seperatists or religious and cultural oppression.

Reuters

Um...WERE black, or were WEARING MOSTLY black?

 

[Feenix]

What a surprise. The attack was carried out by Muslim separatists.

 

[KRYPTON INC.]

What a surprise. The attack was carried out by Muslim separatists.

It's a tragic attack for sure. Savage and evil by any measure. But, and I am sorry to be that guy, really cuz who WANTS to make excuses or the like for terrorists, Muslim or otherwise? But the Chinese government has made life hell for ALL minorities in it's borders. When a heavy handed totalitarian government acts the way China's does, acts like this, if indeed what you are saying is right, are almost to be expected. This is not to excise these bastards of their sins. But people looking at the extinction of their very culture, language, religions and traditions as many in China are, WILL react violently more often than not. And in China this is not some "paranoid" fear. It is happening. There are far more violent, deadly mass incidents in China than we ever hear about in the West every year, and the pressures put on the local population by the government usually play some role in it. Again, this does not absolve these murderers, but let's not just cry "Muslim" and call it case closed either. Is this about indigenous politics, or is this indeed an "imported" terrorism, like Al-Quaeda? The distinction makes some difference, even again, if it far from excuses these actions.

 

[Feenix]

Fair enough. I see what you're saying.

The website Liveleak has videos and pictures of the attack and it's very disturbing to see someone bleeding on the ground and the people around this person are taking money out of ATMs and walking calmly by.

It's like they've had the most extreme type of apathy instilled in them. I feel for anyone involved in a situation where they need help in China.

 

[KRYPTON INC.]

Fair enough. I see what you're saying.

The website Liveleak has videos and pictures of the attack and it's very disturbing to see someone bleeding on the ground and the people around this person are taking money out of ATMs and walking calmly by.

It's like they've had the most extreme type of apathy instilled in them. I feel for anyone involved in a situation where they need help in China.

Oh Zod.... Thank you for not flaming the hell out of me.

As for the Chinese apathy thing, there are actually root causes of that. In China people have sued "good Samaritans" after they have received help, so there is now a prevalent idea among the populace in some places to just walk on by anyone who calls out or seems to need help. It's a crazy messed up world for sure.

 

[Paladin-Hoss]

It's not just China. I'm from Asia. And in my country , you learned to just mind your own bussines no matter what.

I live in Europe now for almost thirty years. The asian community here still has that same mentality for the most part.

 

[MrsKent26]

As for the Chinese apathy thing, there are actually root causes of that. In China people have sued "good Samaritans" after they have received help, so there is now a prevalent idea among the populace in some places to just walk on by anyone who calls out or seems to need help. It's a crazy messed up world for sure.

That idea is getting more prevalent, and not just in China. I work in an ICU as a registered nurse and have extensive training in advanced cardiac life support (ACLS) and defibrillators, but have been told that it's best for me not to stop and help someone in trouble because of the risk of being sued for malpractice. Sad, but true.

 

[Godzilla2000]

It's not just China. I'm from Asia. And in my country , you learned to just mind your own bussines no matter what.

I live in Europe now for almost thirty years. The asian community here still has that same mentality for the most part.

But isn't that an awful behavior to have when people are getting hurt and/or killed? I mean if I saw anyone being attacked where I work the least I would do is call 911, and believe I have done this several times. I wouldn't just allow any violent acts to be committed against anyone on my watch without doing something about it.

 

[KevanG]

I remember one time my Grandmother fell down on some ice in Ottawa, she was around 80 at the time, and people just walked over her or around her when she asked them for help getting up.

 

[Godzilla2000]

If I was there I would have helped her.

 

[KevanG]

Me too but I was around 1200 km east.

 

[Teelie]

Um...WERE black, or were WEARING MOSTLY black?

I had originally read a CNN article with the statement they were black but I'm reading it again and the paragraph breaks at in to look like:

"Yang Haifei, a resident of Yunnan, told Xinhua he was buying a ticket when a group of people, most of them
black, rushed into the station with knives."

So my mistake. I used the Reuters one because it had more detail.