According to Radio Free Asia, five of the casualties were police officers who were sent to protect the mine and its owner from a group of alleged separatists who targeted the premises at 3am, September 18.

Bay township government security guard Zhang Jianjie told the radio station the attackers rammed the police van with trucks filled with coal when it responded to a call made by the attackers to lure police to the mine site.

Chief of State Security Police at a neighbouring mine in Bey, Jamal Eysa, is quoted as saying the group initiated the attack at the mine’s security gate and then shifted their attention to the residence of the mine’s owner.

He also told RFA that colleagues who participated in the operation at Sogan reported the attackers were from neighbouring farms and had taken control of the mine’s dynamite during the raid on Sogan.

Several of the attackers are believed to be on the run, which has prompted a security crackdown by Chinese authorise in the township.