[1] At approximately 7:10 pm local time, a pair of assailants attacked passengers with knives and detonated explosives at the city's railway station.

[2] At 7:10 pm local time on 30 April 2014,[1] a group of individuals used knives to attack passengers and detonated bombs at the exit of Ürümqi South Station.

[2] Originally, it was thought that the explosives came from luggage situated between the station and the bus stop outside,[8] but the People's Daily stated that the attackers had "set off bombs tied on their bodies and died.

While one worker at a nearby hostel had reportedly mistaken the explosion for an earthquake,[10][11] another eyewitness noted how the bomb appeared to be "home made, as the blast was not massive.

[15] The bombing meant that the rail services ceased for about two hours, and ensuing this attack nearby shops repaired minor damage and tightened security.

[17] Communist Party general secretary Xi Jinping responded to the incident by promising "decisive actions [against] terrorist attacks"[14] and stated that a "strike-first" strategy would be implemented.