Police officer recalls horrors of Xinjiang's '2·28 terrorist attack'

In a recent interview with researchers from Jinan University in Guangdong province, survivors, including police officer Semet, recounted the terrifying events of the infamous "2·28 terrorist attack" that unfolded on Xingfu Road in Yecheng county, Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region, on Feb 28, 2012.

Around 7 pm that evening, Semet received a distressing order from the command center, alerting him to a stabbing incident on Xingfu Road.

This bustling pedestrian street became the scene of a gruesome attack carried out by nine terrorists who, failing to execute their original plan targeting nearby schools, left 13 dead and 16 injured, with seven terrorists shot dead, one fatally wounded, and one arrested.

Semet, a patrolling officer, rushed to the chaotic scene with his colleagues upon receiving the order. In the interview with researchers, he vividly described the harrowing experience, emphasizing that it was his first encounter with a terrorist attack.

Upon entering the market area, Semet, then 28 years old, was confronted with a gruesome sight — bodies strewn across the floor, and assailants still attacking people. The officers engaged the terrorists, who strangely remained calm, wielding machetes and axes and shouting jihadist slogans.

"The terrorists immediately came at us," Semet recalled. The squadron leader swiftly responded, firing at the attackers, taking them down on the spot. The weapons, including a 30-centimeter machete and a 50-centimeter meat and bone cleaver, were secured, and the scene was reported to the command center.

Semet mentioned how he refrained from informing his wife immediately, as she is a teacher and he typically shields her from the details of his work. A week later, he cautiously shared the incident, fearing the impact on her well-being.

Despite the dangers inherent in police work, Semet emphasized his dedication to the job, saying, "I have never regretted being a police officer. We police will always encounter dangers, so we must have great psychological quality."

This oral account contributes to the report titled Victims and Survivors of Terrorism in China: An Oral History, shedding light on the resilience and challenges faced by those directly impacted by acts of terrorism.

Click here to read the full text of the report