SHANGHAI, May 22. /ITAR-TASS/. Secretary-General of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Dmitry Mezentsev condemns a terrorist act in the western Chinese city of Urumqi, an administrative centre of Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region.

The SCO Secretariat said in a statement that it “is indignant with the terrorist act in Urumqi. Dozens of people died and many received injuries. We express deep condolences and convey our sympathies to the next-of-kin”.

“In order to counter terrorism it is important to intensify global cooperation. This is the SCO priority,” the statement says.

The incident occurred at 7:50 a.m. local time (0:50 a.m. BST) on Thursday at an open market near Renmin park. Eyewitnesses said two cross-country vehicles rammed into a crowd of people. One vehicle exploded and an explosive device was thrown from another one.

During the incident, 31 people were killed and 94 were wounded, Chinese news agency Xinhua reported.