US calls attack in Kunming 'an act of terrorism'

WASHINGTON - The United States calls an attack in China's Kunming "an act of terrorism" and extends its condolences for the loss of life, State Department said on Monday.

"Based on the information reported by the Chinese media, this appears to be an act of terrorism targeting random members of the public, so we are calling this an act of terrorism," State Department spokeswoman Jen Psaki told a press briefing.

Knife-wielding attackers slashed frantically at crowds at a railway station in Kunming, the capital of Southwest China's Yunnan province on Saturday, killing 29 people and injuring 143.

"We acknowledge that China has characterized the incident as a terror act," Psaki said.

The US extends its condolences for the loss of life, said Psaki, adding that US opposes terrorism "in all of its forms."

"We deplore violence intentionally directed at innocent civilians in any case regardless of the cause," Psaki said.

Chinese authorities said evidence at the crime scene showed that the terrorist attack was orchestrated by Xinjiang separatist forces.

The US does not have any independent information about the identity or the motivation of the attackers, Psaki added.