An anti-terror drill is held in the city of Karamay. [Photo: CFP]

An anti-terror drill was held on August 7, 2012 in the city of Karamay in Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region.

Xinjiang is home to 21 million members of the Uygur ethnic group. The region has been battling separatism, extremism and terrorism for decades, and security experts worry growing religious extremism in the region has fanned most of the violent attacks.

On June 29, six hijackers tried to take control of a plane flying from Hotan to Urumqi City in Xinjiang, but failed after passengers and crew realized what was happening and fought back.