EJIN BANNER, China, Dec. 8 (UPI) — Authorities said a mob attack on a checkpoint in China’s Inner Mongolia region over the weekend was motivated by a border dispute.
The mob descended on the checkpoint in Ejin Banner county for about two hours early Sunday. Wearing masks, about 100 attackers armed with pepper spray and sticks assaulted checkpoint staff and local farmers, using forklifts to destroy $1.56 million worth of buildings and vehicles before escaping.
At least 13 people were injured, robbed and left tied up in freezing weather. The motive of the attack was not initially known.
The BBC, quoting Chinese state news, on Tuesday reported police said the attack occurred due to a provincial border dispute between Ejin Banner county and Jinta county, in the Gansu province.
Li Yanbo, a local land and resources official, told the Global Times residents of both Inner Mongolia and the Gansu province have fought over regional administration rights in recent years.
Tensions between minority ethnic Mongolians and Han Chinese are not uncommon in the Inner Mongolia region.
In April, 100 people were injured and one person was killed when more than 1,000 villagers clashed with 2,000 riot police during protests over pollution from nearby chemical plants.
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