China to recruit 8,000 police officers

By IANS,

Beijing : China will recruit 8,000 police officers to boost security in its western Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, authorities said.

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Their tasks include patrolling, management of the migrant population and cracking down on illegal religious activities, a spokesman of the local administration said, People’s Daily reported Tuesday.

Xinjiang has been battling extremism and terrorism for decades. About 41.5 percent of its 21 million population are Uygurs, a Muslim ethnic group.

Security experts have expressed concern over religious extremism that has fanned violence in the region.

In July 2009, more than 190 people were killed in riots that broke out in Urumqi, the capital of Xinjiang.