LONDON - HUMAN rights group Amnesty International on Tuesday urged China to 'fully account' for the deaths of more than 150 people in riots in Xinjiang and called for an independent probe.

Amnesty said China must also explain its detention of some 1,434 people following the violence, which broke out after protests by the troubled region's Uighur Muslim population.

'The Chinese authorities must fully account for all those who died and have been detained,' the group's Asia-Pacific deputy director Roseann Rife said in a statement.

'Those who were detained solely for peacefully expressing their views and exercising their freedom of expression, association and assembly must be released immediately.

'A fair and thorough investigation must be launched resulting in fair trials that are in accordance with international standards without recourse to the death penalty.' Violence started in the regional capital Urumqi on Sunday and later spread to the ancient Silk Road city of Kashgar, the official Xinhua news agency said.

Some 156 people are reported to have been killed in the western region, where ethnic Uighurs have long complained of repression by Chinese authorities.

'There has been a tragic loss of life and it is essential that an urgent independent investigation takes place to bring all those responsible for the deaths to justice,' Rife said.

'Violence and abuses from either the authorities or protesters is in no way justified.' Amnesty said Chinese policies included restricting freedom of religion and use of the Uighur language, 'destroying customs and ... fuelling discontent.' -- AFP