Chinese authorities Sunday acknowledged killing 12 "mobsters" in riots between Uyghur and Han residents in Urumqi earlier this month.

The ethnic riots killed at least 197 people and wounded more than 1,000, authorities in the Xinjiang region told Xinhua, China's state-run news agency.

In violence July 5, police in Urumqi "resolutely" shot 12 "mobsters" after failing to turn them back by shooting into the air, said Nur Bekri, chairman of the regional government. Three died instantly and nine died later, Bekri said.

Chinese authorities did not say whether the "mobsters" were Uyghurs, who are predominantly Muslim, or Han, who are the majority in China. Some

Uyghurs resent the Han, many of whom came to the region for work, CNN reported Sunday.

"Extremely vicious thugs" used large stones, iron roads and wood clubs to beat residents and smash 266 buses and an undetermined number of cars and buildings, Bekri said.