Senior Uyghur Official Probed For Graft In China

A senior ethnic Uyghur official in China's far western region of Xinjiang is being investigated for corruption.

The Communist Party's antigraft watchdog said on June 28 that Alimjan Maimaitiming, secretary-general of the regional government, is being probed for suspected "serious disciplinary violations."

In October 2014, the Uyghur mayor of Hotan, in Xinjiang's southwest, was held as part of a graft investigation.

China's ruling Communist Party has repeatedly vowed to combat rampant corruption in the face of public anger over the issue.

Violent attacks and unrest have been on the rise in recent years across Xinjiang, home to the mostly Muslim Uyghur minority.

China's government has blamed what it describes as "terrorist" incidents on violent separatists and has executed several ethnic Uyghurs for their alleged involvement in the deadly attacks.

Rights groups accuse Beijing of cultural and religious repression that they say fuels violence in Xinjiang.

Based on reporting by Reuters and AFP