It is horrible, despicable and unbearable.

Terrorists slaughtered 17 people, including nine policemen and security guards and eight civilians, before police opened fire and killed 10 of them in a remote township of Shanshan county, Northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region on Wednesday. Initial reports added that according to local officials three rioters were arrested and several others have been admitted to hospital.

It is the second terrorist attack in less than three months in this western autonomous region. Fifteen community workers and policemen were killed and six terrorists were shot dead in the previous attack in April.