Thousands flee China’s ethnic unrest

THOUSANDS of people poured into bus and train stations to leave Urumqi city yesterday after deadly ethnic unrest, as many mosques were ordered shut for the main Muslim day of prayer.

Authorities said they had put on extra bus services out of the capital of China’s remote Xinjiang region, but demand outstripped seats and scalpers were charging up to five times the normal face price for tickets.

“It is just too risky to stay here. We are scared of the violence,” said Xu Qiugen, 23, a construction worker from central China who had been living in Urumqi for five years. He had bought a bus ticket out with his wife.