Kyrgyz authorities identify alleged attackers of Chinese embassy in Bishkek
| Publisher | Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty |
| Publication Date | 6 September 2016 |
| Cite as | Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, Kyrgyz authorities identify alleged attackers of Chinese embassy in Bishkek, 6 September 2016, available at: http://www.refworld.org/docid/57db9a9a3.html [accessed 24 September 2016] |
| Disclaimer | This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. |
Last updated (GMT/UTC): 06.09.2016 15:21
Kyrgyz authorities have identified a man they say carried out the bombing attack against the Chinese Embassy in Bishkek last month.
The Kyrgyz State Committee for National Security (UKMK) said on September 6 that the alleged attacker was a 33-year-old ethnic Uyghur with a Tajik passport, Zoir Halilov, who was a member of the Islamic Movement of Eastern Turkestan.
A suicide car bomber rammed the gates of the Chinese Embassy compound in Bishkek on August 30 before detonating an explosive device inside the car, killing himself and injuring three Kyrgyz employees of the embassy.
The UKMK also said five Kyrgyz and Uzbek nationals suspected of involvement in the preparation of the attack have been apprehended.
Another four Kyrgyz nationals were added to the international wanted list, the UKMK said.
According to the UKMK, the terrorist attack was "instigated" by several Uyghur terrorist groups fighting alongside Islamic militants in Syria.
Uyghurs are Turkic-speaking native Muslim people of China's northwestern province of Xinjiang, which Uyghurs traditionally call Eastern Turkestan.
Based on reporting by Akipress and KyrTAG
Link to original story on RFE/RL website
