Historical eventMay 222014

May 2014 Ürümqi attack

An explosion occurs in Ürümqi, capital of China's far-western Xinjiang region, resulting in at least 43 deaths and 91 injuries.

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In context

When
Thursday, May 22 201412 years ago
Category
Historical eventA dated happening — a battle, treaty, launch, discovery, disaster or decision — recorded on this calendar day.
Era
21st century · 2010s
Recorded from
Wikipedia “On this day” feed

At a glance

Dates: From 2014.

What came before

Background Main article: Xinjiang conflict The Xinjiang region had witnessed increasing violence by separatist militants in the period leading up the May bombings. [ 1 ] [ 2 ] [ 3 ] On 30 April 2014, two suicide bombings killed three and injured 79, [ 4 ] leaving a level of high security in the region and the train station where the attack occurred "like a fortress", with men bearing arms at ticket gates, multiple police trucks in the city, and checkpoints. [ 1 ]

What happened

Attack Gongyuan Street (the location of the attack) After the market blasts, Ürümqi entered a state of enhanced security with concrete barricades being set up at the entrance of every school, university, residential area, avenue, and vital junction in order to defend against similar ramming attacks by vehicles. This image shows many concrete barricades on Henan East Road, New Downtown, Ürümqi.

On the morning of 22 May 2014, two sport utility vehicles (SUVs) carrying five assailants were driven into a busy street market in Ürümqi, the capital of China's Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region. Up to a dozen explosives were thrown at shoppers from the windows of the SUVs. The SUVs crashed into shoppers, then collided with each other and exploded. Forty-three people were killed, including four of the assailants; more than 90 were wounded, making this the deadliest attack of the Xinjiang conflict.

May 22 through the years

Other entries on the same calendar day, in order.

  1. 2012Tokyo Skytree
  2. 2012SpaceX COTS Demo Flight 2
  3. 2013Fusilier
  4. 2014Prayut Chan-o-cha
  5. 2014May 2014 Ürümqi attack
  6. 2015Republic of Ireland
  7. 2017Ariana Grande
  8. 2017Donald Trump
  9. 2020Pakistan International Airlines Flight 8303
  10. 2021Gansu ultramarathon disaster
  11. 20262026 Liushenyu coal mine explosion

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  • September 182014 Scottish independence referendumScotland votes against independence from the United Kingdom, by 55% to 45%.
  • July 13Germany national football teamGermany won the FIFA World Cup final against Argentina, with Mario Götze scoring the game's only goal (pictured) in the extra time.
  • October 22OttawaIn Ottawa, Canada, the downtown core was placed on lockdown after a series of shootings at Parliament Hill.
  • October 222014 shootings at Parliament HillMichael Zehaf-Bibeau attacks the Parliament of Canada, killing a soldier and injuring three other people.

Everything we record for 2014 →

Sources

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“May 2014 Ürümqi attack”, What's On This Date, https://whatsonthisdate.com/app/event/may-2014-r-mqi-attack-2014-may-22, accessed October 26, 2026.

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Questions about this entry

When did May 2014 Ürümqi attack happen?

May 22 2014 — 12 years ago, on a Thursday.

Where does this text come from?

Wikipedia “On this day” feed. Summaries are short adaptations that link back to the source, not reprints.

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