China says attack in restive Xinjiang region kills four

Few details were available on Thursday's attack in the oil industry hub of Korla in the western Xinjiang region, and the motive was not immediately clear. Some local residents described it as part of a gambling dispute, while online accounts characterized it as an attack by an ethnic Muslim Uyghur against members of the country's Han Chinese majority.

The region is the site of a simmering rebellion by Uyghurs against Chinese rule, and even if the attack was unrelated to the ethnic tensions, such incidents can often spiral into broader ethnic unrest. Authorities throughout China are especially sensitive about any potential unrest during the current session of the National People's Congress, taking place in Beijing to install a new generation of national leadership.

Regional spokeswoman Hou Hanmin said Friday that she could not confirm the ethnicity of the victims or the alleged assailant. Hou, who was in Beijing for the legislative session, said police were investigating to find out whether there were accomplices involved.

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