BEIJING (Reuters) – 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 today.
Another 113 people were wounded, the official Xinhua news agency said, revising down a previous higher figure. It said the attack had taken place late yesterday evening.
“It was an organised, premeditated violent terrorist attack,” Xinhua said.
Police were searching for around five others of the unidentified attackers, 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.
State television showed police wrapping a long, sword-like knife in a plastic bag, amid heavy security at the station.
There was no immediate word on who was responsible.