Footage aired by state-run media on Sunday showed a teenage suspect in an attack on a mahjong game room in Xinjiang's southwestern region confessing and apologizing for his crime, claiming that he had been influenced to carry out a holy war.

The suspect, identified by Xinhua News as Murzhati, 19, together with two others - Abduzahir and Abdughappar - entered the mahjong game rooms in Hotan city last Sunday armed with axes and proceeded to slash at the unsuspecting players. The players fought back and were able to defend themselves with the furniture, state-run CCTV reported.

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The attackers had quickly tried to flee the scene but were stopped by civilians armed with wooden poles until police arrived.

Four civilians were wounded while two of the suspects, Abduzahir and Abdughappar, had died from serious injuries sustained during the incident.

Murzhati, who was detained by police, was interviewed by CCTV in the local detention center. In the interview, he had spoken Uighur, a language native to the Muslim Uighurs in Xinjiang. He claimed that the gang leader - who had been killed in the fracas - told him he would go directly to heaven if he died carrying out a holy war, or jihad.

The teenager apologized for his actions and said he would take care of his parents at home and not do anything like that again if he gets out of detention.

According to police, the suspects were driven by overseas religious extremist videos.

Xinjiang is in an ongoing conflict with the Chinese government. Separatists native to the region, suspected to be Muslim Uighurs, fight for independence from Beijing. They claim that the region is not part of China and refer to it as East Turkestan.

Last month, a market bombing in the region's capital, Urumqi, killed 43 people. China has retaliated by increasing security measures and meting out harsh punishments against those suspected to have organized, led and participated in terrorist acts including arson, burglary, murder and manufacturing of weapons.

TagsXinjiang, Hotan, mahjong attack, axe attack, mahjong axe attack, suspect confesses, CCTV, Abduzahir, Abdughappar, Murzhati, separatist, East Turkestan, World News