December 12, 2001	Wednesday	Ramazan 26, 1422

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BEIJING, Dec 11: China said on Tuesday it would ask for the return of any Chinese Muslims caught fighting for the Taliban in Afghanistan.

Foreign ministry spokeswoman Zhang Qiyue said about 100 fighters from China’s northwestern Muslim region of Xinjiang were believed to have received training in Afghanistan.

Anti-Taliban forces in Afghanistan say they have captured a handful of fighters from China’s Muslim Uighur minority.

Uighurs are blamed for a series of bombings and assassinations, though activists abroad accuse Beijing of exaggerating the threat.

“They have close contacts with terrorism in the world,” Zhang said at a regular press briefing.

“If these terrorists were proved to be Chinese nationals, they should be sent back to China and be dealt with in accordance with our law.”

Mr Qiyue said China didn’t plan to send troops for a possible peacekeeping force in Afghanistan, but was sending a team this week to look into the reopening of its embassy in Kabul. —APP