[2][3][4] Authorities stated that an armed gang of masked militants carried out attacks against civilians as well as local police across towns in the county.
[6] According to Radio Free Asia, locals linked the attacks to government restrictions and crackdowns on Ramadan as well as the alleged extrajudicial killing of a Uighur family.
The militants attacked a police station and government offices in Elixku, before moving on to Huangdi, targeting civilians and smashing vehicles.
[3] Authorities named Nuramat Sawut as the ringleader of the attacks, accusing him of having close links to the militant East Turkestan Islamic Movement.
[6] In a statement following the attacks, Xinjiang's top official Zhang Chunxian said there would be no let-up in the government fight against militants.