Urumqi shuts down markets amid terror threat

URUMQI - Morning and night markets in Urumqi, capital city of far west China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, have been shut down because of the threat of terrorism, local authorities announced on Monday.

Crackdown on terrorist attacks

Potential security risks exist in such markets which are usually cramped and crowded, according to Tursun Isa, deputy chief of the city's commerce bureau.

A total of 27 vegetable outlets have been built and put into use on the sites of the markets to meet people's demands, Tursun Isa said.

Closure of the markets is a part of the city government's efforts to secure stability and combat terrorism.

The city government has tightened security checks at airports, railway stations and bus stations. Security has also been stepped up at shopping malls, public squares, parks, schools and kindergartens.

Local authorities have also strengthened controls on the mobile population, rental homes and inns, urging owners to perform their duties.

A terrorist attack at an open air market in Urumqi on May 22, left 31 people dead and 94 others injured. It followed a string of violent attacks in the country, including one at a train station in the southwestern city of Kunming in March and another at Tian'anmen Square in Beijing in October.