18 suspected terrorists die in camp raid

Chinese police raided an alleged terrorist camp near the Pakistani border, killing 18 suspects and arresting 17, a police official said.

Song Hongli of the Xinjiang Public Security Bureau said the raid took place Friday at a training camp run by the East Turkestan Islamic Movement.

One police officer was killed, Song said.

Critics accuse Beijing of using claims of terrorism as an excuse to crack down on peaceful pro-independence sentiment and expressions of ethnic Uighur identity in the Xinjiang region.