China Railway Attack: 28 Stabbed To Death In ‘Premeditated Violent Terrorist Attack’

A China railway attack has left 28 people dead and a further 113 wounded after an alleged group of terrorists began randomly stabbing people at a train station in Kunming, southwest China.

China’s official news agency, Xinhua, said that the attack, which took place late on Saturday evening was a terrorist attack: “It was an organised, premeditated violent terrorist attack,” it said.

When police arrived on the scene they shot dead five of the alleged attackers and initiated a search for five others.

A resident of Kunming, Yang Haifei, told Xinhua that he was buying a train ticket when he saw a group of people in black running into the station and attacking commuters there at random with large knives.

Haifei said: “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.”

Xi Jinping, the President of China, was quoted as saying that no effort is to be spared to find the people responsible for the attack: “Severely punish in accordance with the law the violent terrorists and resolutely crack down on those who have been swollen with arrogance. Understand the serious and complex nation of combating terrorism. Go all out to maintain social stability,” he said.

Weibo users immediately posted messages about the China railway 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 vicious attack comes as China prepares itself for its annual parliament meeting on Beijing on Wednesday which normally sees a tightening of security across the country. It is not yet known who carried out the attack or what their motives were.