China: 15 dead after knife, bomb attack

Chinese police killed 11 assailants who launched what state media described as a terrorist attack on Friday afternoon at a food market in Xinjiang, in the country's northwest, CNN reported.

It came as the region's People's Congress passed a new law to clamp down on religious extremism, including banning people from practicing religion in government offices, public schools, business or institutions, China Daily reported.

The law gives local authorities the right to ban people from wearing clothes or logos associated with religious extremism, although the types of clothing and symbols weren't specified. The regulation also prohibits people from viewing videos about jihad and religious extremism.

In Friday's attack, assailants threw explosives and attacked people with knives at a crowded food market in Shache County, killing four civilians. Fourteen others taken to hospital with injuries, state news agency Xinhua reported.

It's one of a number of attacks in the region, the scene of ethnic tension between the indigenous Uyghurs, a mainly Turkic-speaking Muslim population, and Han Chinese.

The new law on religious extremism -- the first in the country -- will come into force in January.

The law defines religious extremism as "activities or comments that twist the doctrines of a religion and promote thoughts of extremism, violence and hatred," China Daily reported.