China's restive Xinjiang region on Friday witnessed another riot following a series of deadly unrests that have claimed at least 36 lives.
Xinjiang is home to Muslim Uighur people and they have been getting increasingly restive in recent times because of Chinese policies which restrict their culture, language and religion.
The Chinese administration has labeled the Uighur riots as "terrorist attacks" and the Beijing government reiterated that the residents enjoy a wide-range of freedom, according to Reuters.
Chinese media reported that more than one hundred residents in the divided western region of Xinjiang attacked a police station on motorbikes and wielding knives.
Local residents told Radio Free Asia that police initially fired at innocent young Uighurs returning from a local mosque.
"Young Uighurs on motorcycles were leaving the mosque, they were shouting religious slogans...The police were frightened and started shooting at them. At least two died and one was injured," reported Radio Free Asia.
China says the unrests arise due to the Uighurs' ambition for a separate homeland.
The animosity between Han Chinese majority and other minorities in the country like Muslim Uighurs poses a major threat to harmony and security of the Chinese Communist country.
Chinese President Xi Jinping has called for the unity of all ethnic groups in the country.
Recently, exiled leader from the region, Rebiya Kadeer told the Wall Street Journal that she was hopeful that the new Chinese leadership would ease the ethnic tensions in the region, but she said her hopes were fast fading away.
Around 200 people were killed during ethnic riots in the region in 2009.
