'Two shot dead' by Chinese police

Two Muslim Uighurs have been shot dead by police in Urumqi, capital of China's Xinjiang province, state media said.

The violence comes after Chinese officials said calm had been restored to the city after at least 180 people were killed in rioting last week.

A reporter with Hong Kong's RTHK radio said two police officers were shot and three Uighurs killed in the city.

Other reports said police had fired at a group of Uighur men armed with knives and poles who had attacked the police.

Thousands of extra security personnel have been patrolling the city of about 2.3 million people since the violence erupted.

Ethnic Han Chinese make up the majority of Urumqi's population, but Uighurs form a significant minority and have long-standing complaints of discrimination.

Rioting began on 5 July during a protest by Uighurs over a brawl in southern China in late June in which two Uighurs were killed.

BBC NEWS REPORT.