China: 381 surrender in Sichuan province

BEIJING, March 25 (UPI) -- China, facing spreading Tibetan protests, said 381 people allegedly involved in riots in Sichuan province's Aba County had surrendered.

Separately, Xinhua also reported five "criminal suspects" were detained for two arson attacks in which 10 people died in Lhasa, capital of Tibet where the protests against Chinese rule began on March 10.

In Aba County, Xinhua said those surrendering Monday were involved in March 16 riots. One Communist party official that most of them "are common people or monks deceived or coerced."

It was in Aba where police last week admitted for the first to wounding four protesters while firing in "self-defense."

In China's campaign alleging biased reporting on Tibet by Western media, Xinhua reported two German news organizations had apologized after being accused of distorting facts about the Lhasa riots. Other major media outlets also have been similarly accused.

The BBC quoted Chinese state-run media that one police officer was killed and several more injured in clashes in other areas of Sichuan province.

China has said 19 people have died since March 10 but Tibetan exiles claim at least 130 have died.

Foreign journalists have been banned from Tibet.