Death toll from west China's violence rises to 35

BEIJING — Chinese state media say the death toll has climbed to 35 from rioting early Wednesday in the far-western region of Xinjiang.

Initial reports said 27 people were killed, but a late Thursday night report by the official Xinhua News Agency updated the figure to 35. The tally included 11 assailants shot dead at the scene in Lukqun township in Turpan prefecture.

Xinhua did not explain the increase nor what might be causing conflicts in the Turkic-speaking region where ethnic Uighurs have complained of suppression and discrimination by China's ruling Han people.

The Xinhua report says rioters killed 24 people, including two police officers, while targeting local police stations, a government building and a construction site.