World Bulletin/News Desk

China has launched a nationwide, year-long "anti-terror operation", state media said on Sunday, days after announcing a similar crackdown targeting the troubled Xinjiang region (East Turkestan),which has a large Muslim Uighur minority, following an attack which killed dozens.

Security forces were ordered to prevent militants moving beyond the region in China's far west, where five bombers struck on Thursday in the Xinjiang capital of Urumqi.

"Police are urged to stop terrorists from striking again and prevent terrorists and religious extremists from spreading from Xinjiang to the rest of the country," said the official Xinhua news agency, citing China's Ministry of Public Security.

A similar campaign was launched in East Turkestan on Friday after the region's deadliest attack in years which state media reported had killed 31 people at a vegetable market.